The Color of Blood
by poxelda
Summary: Jack has to help Mac when he shows up drunk and wounded. I needed some soothing whump, so here we are. Warning for violence, language.
1. Chapter 1

Jack shut the door and leaned against it letting out a long breath. He dropped his bag and fought a yawn. He rubbed his eyes and went to call Mac. He pulled out his phone and growled. He'd forgotten. He looked at the perfect hole in it. A high powered bullet had pierced it when he'd tossed it for a distraction. Jack chuckled and stumbled toward the shower. Even on a solo mission he still loses his phone. Maybe it was his lot in life. After an army 10 minute scrub, Jack padded to bed. He flopped in and was out.

A loud irregular pounding woke him up. Jack glared at the room then squinted at his watch. Five hours. He yawned and rolled out of bed grabbing his Beretta as he moved. He scratched his hair as he padded down the hall to the door. As he reached the front door, he slowed and held his Beretta at the ready. The door shook with each pounding.

"Jaack! Come on man!" Jack let out a relieved breath. Mac. He frowned as he put the safety on and set the Beretta off. He opened the door and froze staring at his friend in horror. Mac's left eye was swollen, his lip and jaw was swollen and his button down torn. A knife, Jack thought. Likewise his jeans were stained and torn. Mac grinned at him and staggered through the door. He wrapped his arms around Jack. Jack's frown became a worried scowl. Mac stank of Jack Daniel's and other harder booze.

"Mac, what the-" Mac grinned and put his head on Jack's chest.

"Jaaack! I missed you!" Mac slurred. Jack patted his shoulder and led him in.

"I missed you too, buddy. You wanna tell me what's going on?" Mac blinked at Jack. For a second his eyes filled with pain and flushed with tears, then it was gone and Mac laughed.

"You're so funny when you're serious." Jack gritted his teeth.

"Yeah, brother, do you have a phone I could borror." Mac laughed and almost fell over backwards. Jack caught him. An idea occurred to him. He picked his broken phone. Mac snatched it out of his hand and held it up putting a finger through the hold.

"What the hell did you do?" Mac giggled. Jack rolled his eyes. While Mac was distracted, he snagged the kid's phone out of his pocket.

"Hey-don-" Mac tried to snag the phone. He stumbled forward and would have done a header to the ground if Jack didn't catch him. Jack turned him and walked him to the couch. Mac shoved Jack's hands away.

"Quite it!" Mac shouted. Jack paused at the tone in Mac's voice. It was laced with fear and genuine anger. Jack frowned and stepped back. Mac looked down at his feet. He put a hand on Jack's shoulder. He was shaking. Mac slowly looked up. The tears slipping down his face broke Jack's heart.

"S-sorry, Jack. I don-" Mac plopped down on the couch. He winced and held an arm across his abdomen as he leaned forward eyes closed. Jack crouched in front of him. Mac shook his head and pushed Jack's hand away.

"I'm fine. Leave me alone, alright-" Mac staggered to his feet. Jack stood with him and stood aside as Mac stomped across the floor. He reached up and pulled his hair on either side of his head as he spun, wobbled, and paced across the room.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I-don' know what I'm doing. I...I gotta go." Mac tried to push past Jack, but his feet twisted together and he fell. Jack managed to catch him in midair. Mac cried out in pain as Jack caught his chest and under his shoulder.

"Mac?" Jack crouched beside Mac and let go. The blonde sagged into a limb ball. His eyes focused on Jack. Jack noticed how reddened they were, sunken with purple smears around them. Mac was not a healthy color. The bruises and blood marred his bone-white skin like clouds on a sunny day. Mac's eyes were moist. He closed his eyes and turned away. He pulled his knees to his chest and ducked his forehead into them. Mac couldn't quite hold back his hiss of pain.

"Mac, what the hell is going on?"

"Nothing. Nothing, Jack. Everything is just fucking fine."

"Yeah, right. What the hell is going on?" Mac sighed and turned his head to look at Jack.

"Do you mind if I stay?" His voice was small and genuinely worried Jack would say not.

"You know that room's your room anytime you want it." Mac let out a deep breath and smiled closing his eyes.

"Good, good...thanks." Mac said. The kid let out a long breath then flopped to the side out cold. Jack caught him and stretched him out on the floor. Jack dug out Mac's phone and hit a button.

"Mac? Oh my God! Where are you?" Bozer's alarmed voice blared from the phone before the phone even rang. Jack's worry increased ten-fold.

"Boze, it's Jack-"

"Jack! You're back, awesome. Is Mac with you?"

"Boze, breathe. Ok, what the hell is going on?"

"Is Mac with you?"

"Yes, how else do you think I got his phone."

"Good poi-"

"Jack? Is Mac with you?" Riley's voice took over from Bozer. Before Jack could say a word he could hear Matty speak.

"Out of the way, all of you! Jack you're on speaker. I assume Mac is with you?"

"Yeah, he's in rough shape. What the hell happened?"

"Jack there was these Nazis-"

"Boze got captured-"  
"We aren't-"

"ALL RIGHT!" Matty bellowed. The phone hummed a long minute, "Alright, that's better. We had a mission that went bad." Mac moaned.

"Yeah, well, I gotta take care of our resident genius."

"We'll come over." Jack frowned.

"Make it in the morning."

"Jack?"

"Trust me you aren't going to get anything out of Mac-" Mac jackknifed forward and puked across the floor. Jack wrinkled his nose, "Nothing you're gonna want anyway until morning."

"Alright, take care of our boy, Jack. This one was hard." Jack absently rubbed Mac's back as the hit puked again.

"Yeah, I'm getting that. Bye." Jack tossed Mac's phone on the recliner and bent over his partner. Mac's eyes sagged even as he gagged and another wave of foul smelling vomit spewed from him. Jack grimaced. He braced himself and lifted Mac from behind, his hands under the kid's armpits. Jack dragged him to the bathroom and leaned him against the toilet face aimed toward the bowl. Mac moaned and another wave of vomit spewed forth.

"Aw kid." Jack moaned. Jack wiped up the living room then returned to the bathroom. Mac was out again his head resting on his arm. Jack turned on the shower. He dragged Mac in and sat him in the middle of the water. Jack huffed in air as the cold shocked him. Mac didn't react for a long minute. Jack's worry was redlining. Then Mac jolted awake and pushed away from the water.

Jack bent behind him and grabbed his flailing arms pushing them down as he stripped Mac's stained shirt off him. Mac crossed his arms across his chest.

"Wh-wh-"

"You waking up yet, kiddo?" Mac shook his head trying to get out of the cold water stream.

"Jack? What the hell-" Mac's voice slurred and he bent forward heaving. There wasn't anything left. Mac moaned and held his head in his hand.

"That's what I was going to ask you?" Jack leaned over and added heat to the water.

"C'mon, but out of those jeans."

"Ja-, No, leave me alone. Why are you here?"

"I live here, genius." Mac blinked up at him confused.

"We aren't at my house?"

"Nope."

"We're at your place?"

"Yep." Mac tried to stand up but fell back with a groan. He grabbed his chest and leaned forward. Jack huffed and shook his head. He lifted Mac to his feet and supported the kid as he slid out of his blood and puke stained clothes. Mac leaned forward to wash his face and slicked his wet hair back. He wobbled and would have fallen if Jack didn't take his weight.

"Alright, bud, sit here." He dragged Mac over to the toilet and sat the blonde down. Jack turned off the shower and threw towels on the floor. He handed a handful to Mac and went to his own room. Jack got dressed in his usual Jeans and T shirt and snagged the oversized first aid kit Sally had given him a long time ago. He went in the guest room to pull back the covers and grab Mac a pair of shorts. He returned to the bathroom to find Mac slumped half asleep against the wall, the towels piled in his lap.

"MAC!" Jack yelled. Mac moaned but didn't move. Jack sighed. He straightened Mac and tapped his face until tired blue eyes blinked up at him, "C'mon, bro." Mac nodded and reached up for a towel. Jack handed one to him and Mac dropped it and stared at it confused.

"Alright, kiddo, here we go." Jack dried Mac off and pulled up his shorts as he dragged Mac to his feet. Jack ducked under Mac's shoulder. Mac cried out. Jack winced, "Sorry, sorry." Jack mumbled as he half carried, half dragged Mac to the back bedroom. Mac walked stiff legged as if the floor were wobbling under his feet. He mumbled something as he stared at the floor. Jack spun him around and pushed him onto the bed. Mac flopped back paling another shade.

"You gonna tell me what all this is?" Jack asked as he tugged the first aid closer and opened it. Mac's eyes opened and he squinted up at Jack confused.

"This?" Mac slurred. Jack pulled out cleaning cloths and steristrips. He turned Mac's head and started cleaning and binding all he could see.

"Yeah, little thing like why you show up at my apartment at 4 in the morning, drunk as a skunk and beaten to hell and back?" Mac closed his eyes and turned away a smirk crossing his face. Jack grabbed his chin and twisted Mac's face back to him.

"No, you don't get to be a smart ass right now, hear me?" Mac blinked and stared at Jack. For a second his eyes cleared, Jack frowned at the anger that flared. Mac shoved Jack off him with surprising force and wobbled to his feet.

"I don't need this shit." He growled staggering to the door. He fell forward and caught himself on the edge of the door. Jack straightened.

"Where in the hell do you think-" Mac pushed off and whirled down the hall, "Shit." Jack stalked after him. By the time he reached the living room, Mac had reached the front door and had two of the locks off. Jack ran a hand through his hair fighting a yawn.

"Mac, what the hell are you doing?" Mac finally got the door open. He stepped into the hall and whirled in an unsteady circle dizzy and confused as to where the door out was. Finally oriented, Mac fell into the wall as he wobbled down the hall. Jack scowled arguing with himself for a long minute.

"Son of a bitch." Jack growled. He stalked down the hall after Mac and stepped in front of the kid. Mac drew up puffing with anger. Jack didn't pause, he bent and lifted Mac over his shoulder.

"Ja-" Mac tried to yell, but broke off dizzy. Jack relocked the door and carried Mac to the back bedroom. He tossed Mac on the bed. Mac closed his eyes and grimaced, his body tightening in pain.

"I'm getting some sleep, you should too." Jack growled. He kicked the first aid kit out of the way and shut the door behind him. He leaned his back on the door and took long even breaths. He closed his eyes smoothing out his irritation and fatigue. He knew he wasn't at his best and Mac sure as hell wasn't at his best. Jack slid to the ground and leaned his head on his knees closing his eyes.

Jack jerked awake with a snort. He rubbed his face and glanced at his watch. He yawned and stood up. His joints popped as he stretched.

"Mac?" He whispered as he crept into the room. Mac had curled up into a fetal ball his arms across his bare chest. He shivered. Jack frowned. Why hadn't Mac used the covers? Jack sat on the edge of the bed. Mac moaned and moved to pull away. Jack brushed Mac's hair back from his face and winced as he felt grit in the kids hair. Jack dug it out. Glass? A bottle? Mac was in a bar brawl?

"What the hell is going on with you, brother?" Jack whispered. He pulled the kit over and finished fixing Mac up. He pulled the covers over and ran his hand in circles on Mac's back. Mac moaned softly and uncurled leaning closer to Jack. Jack smiled. He saw a small glint of blue. Mac mumbled something. Jack didn't understand it, he didn't have to.

"It's ok, brother. Just sleep for now, ok?" Mac hummed and relaxed. Jack turned off the light and went to his own room leaving Mac's door open. He'd be able to get a couple hours of sleep before the others came over. Jack shook his head and padded to his own bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack yawned and rolled over. He squinted at the clock beside his bed. He sat up and rubbed his face. It took him a minute to remember what had happened last night, or earlier that morning. Jack shook his head and padded to the kitchen. He put coffee on then went to wake Mac up. The others would be there-

A tapping at the front door made him smile. About right now, he thought. He retrieved his Baretta from the table by the door and held it ready.

"Jack, it's us." Matty said softly. Jack opened the door and scanned the hallway as his three teammates entered. Old habits had kept him alive and he was too old to change now, even if he wanted to, which he didn't.

"Where is he?" Bozer asked. Jack turned and his eyes widened. Bozer's chin was swollen and his lip was cut.

"What the-?" Jack started. Bozer rubbed his chin. He shot Jack a miserable look.

"I know, right? Where's-" Jack tilted his head and Bozer vanished toward the back bedroom. Jack turned questioning eyes to Matty and Riley.

"We need to-"

"He's not here!" Bozer cried running from the back room. Jack closed his eyes and ground his teeth. Dammit, Mac! Bozer handed him a folded paper, "He left this."

"Jack, Sorry, Mac." Jack read. He frowned. Succinct even for Mac and Mac's normal scrunched writing looked like teeth eating the page.

"We have to get after him, we have to-"

"Bozer, calm down." Matty growled she looked at Riley.

"I'm on it." Riley sat in one of Jack's barber shop chairs and worked her rig. Jack pulled out an array of mismatched cups he'd stolen from hotels around the world, and a few other places. He sipped his black coffee and winced. It was strong enough to slap the snot right out of his head. He took a steadying breath moving to the living room as the others sugared and creamed their coffee.

"Ok, what the hell is going on?" Jack demanded his eyes focusing on Matty. Matty climbed onto one of the bar stools and took a long sip of coffee.

"It's my fault, it's all my fault, if I hadn't-"

"Enough, Bozer!" Matty snapped. Bozer slumped against the kitchen counted and held his head in his hands. Jack eyed Matty. She sighed.

"Just after you left for Venezuela, we got a tip that a skinhead Nazi militia had stolen extensive information about the entire Mexican cartel network. We didn't know if they were going to work with the cartel to advance their version of the Silk Road-"

"Weird for Skinhead Nazi Militia-types."

"-Or if they were going to use it against the Cartels. Either way we needed to get that information to use ourselves or prevent a full out street war between Nazis and the Cartel affiliated gangs." Matty paused to sip her coffee and pulled hair back from her face.

"I found his Jeep, it's been impounded since last night."

"Where from?" Jack asked curious.

"Giovanni's." Jack's eyebrows skyrocketed. Not only was it one of the toughest biker bars in LA, it was more than ten miles away. Mac had walked here last night, hammered and beaten up. Jack rubbed his face. He noticed Riley's face pale a shade.

"What?" She turned the laptop. The others gaped at a picture of Mac's Jeep. It had been beaten more than Mac had been. All the windows were broken, the paint was blackened and curled and the side panels were dented in enough Jack knew they wouldn't be opening ever again.

"Any surveillance inside the bar?" Jack asked. The others stared at him a long second. Jack realized they hadn't seen Mac, and he hadn't really told him what condition he'd arrived at Jack's door.

"He showed up here drunk off his ass and pretty beaten up. I think he was in a bar brawl."

"Mac was drunk?" Bozer's eyes were wide and he look a whole shade paler. Jack nodded at him grimly.

"He wasn't in a bar brawl, he started a bar brawl." Riley announced.

"What?" Bozer and Jack asked at the same time.

"There's no cameras there, but they did file a police report-"

"Giovanni's filed a police report?" Jack asked. His gut churned in worry.

"Apparently so, they say that Mac came in and drank almost a whole fifth of whiskey. A guy hassled him. Without warning, Mac slammed the guy with the bottle and all hell broke loose. Mac must have fought like Wolverine because the police report said he left and no one was either motivated or able to follow him out the door. He also stole another bottle of whiskey."

"Holy shit." Jack said softly.

"Yeah." Matty agreed in the same tone. She turned to Jack.

"Let's get this debrief done so you can go get blondie back into the fold." Jack nodded.

"I'm guessing he was set to infiltrated the skinhead nazi militia?" Matty scowled.

"Yeah, unfortunately he was the only one who looked Aryan enough." Matty's nose wrinkled with disgust. Jack ground his teeth together. He was liking this less and less, and to say he started off hating it was a serious understatement. Mac was alone, forced to pretend to be a Nazi-probably the worst thing the kid had ever been asked to do-and it went wrong. Jack rubbed his eyes not that surprised to find them a little damp.

"How long was he in?" Jack had been gone almost a month, surely it hadn't been that long.

"Almost the entire time you were gone, Jack."

"Son of a-! You should have pulled him out way before that!" Jack roared, "You know how he feels about that Nazi bullshit!" Matty narrowed her eyes.

"I tried, Jack. Two weeks in, he stopped reporting."

"He what?" If Matty had told him Mac had flapped around Pluto, Jack would have been less surprised.

"We took turns watching him." Riley said. Her eyes were moist, "He wasn't doing so well after the first week."

"Then why the hell-?"

"Jack, I tried, ok? I tried to pull him out, but he stayed saying he was close to finding the information." Jack huffed and started to pace.

"Ok, Mac can handle himself." Jack said it to reassure himself more than the others.

"He could have, if it wasn't for me." Bozer said softly.

"What do you mean?"

_ As Bozer crept quietly through the woods, he felt like a deer with a huge target on his chest. Every sound around him made his skin flinch. He paused at the edge of the wood and crouched behind a small copse of pine trees. He was high enough on a bluff to see over the compound wall. He pulled out his pocket field glasses._

_ "I don't see him." He whispered. He paused, "Wait, yeah I got him. He-" Bozer's voice was lost in his gasp of alarm. Mac strode with the upper brass of the militia. He wore the same paramilitary uniform as the others around him. Seeing his oldest best friend sporting a leather coat covered with racist slogans, skulls and swastikas almost made him puke. Worse, Mac's face was hard and cold, like the other nazis. The commander came out and Mac snapped to attention and did a Nazi salute._

_ "Heil, Fuhrer!" He barked. Bozer groaned._

_ "I think I'm gonna puke." He hissed._

_ "Boze, you know it isn't real, right?" Matty reminded him. Bozer nodded forgetting the others couldn't see him from where they had hid the van. _

_ "Yeah, but this is Mac and-" Bozer broke off at a sound behind him, "Shit!" He cried as he whirled and ducked a butt stroke. Three skinheads circled him."_

_ "What are you doing up here little N-" Bozer kicked out and caught the speaker in the balls. He bounced to his feet and took off running. He didn't get far. Another skinhead close-lined him across the chest. If Bozer hadn't jumped over a branch at the same time it would probably have crushed his throat. He flopped back to the ground, heart pounding, desperation bringing out a cold sweat. This was his worst nightmare. It got worse. He got the traditional Nazi greeting of an asswhooping. Bozer got dragged inside the compound. He was dropped at the feet of the Commander and Mac. He glanced up unable to hide his panic. Mac's eyes roved the circle around him. If Bozer hadn't known Mac his entire life he'd have thought Mac looked bored. But Mac had that worried frown that wrinkled his brow, just a little. _

_ "So, Boy, what are you doing up here?" The commander asked. His eyes were those of a rabid wolf, cold and crew._

_ "I got lost." Bozer managed to wheeze. The commander laughed._

_ "Since there isn't another Monkey for miles, I'd say that's true. Are you an agent? FBI? NSA?" Bozer licked his lips trying to think of something that would buy them time. The commander stared at Boze then shrugged._

_ "Doesn't matter." The man pulled out a Smith and Wesson. Boze had no idea what type it was, but it was a giant cannon eye staring at him, sucking away what little air he had left. _

_ "Sir-" Mac said. The commander paused and smiled, turning to the blonde._

_ "You are absolutely correct, you are my newest child. I shouldn't hog all the fun. Here-you kill him." _

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?" Jack roared. Bozer cringed and ducked, staring at the counter. Jack shook his head and chewed back his fury, "It's not on you, Boze. Matty-?"

"I know, Jack."

"It gets worse." Bozer whispered. Jack wiped his face and took in a long slow breath.

"Ok, go ahead."

_ Bozer shook as he was pulled to his knees. The commander handed Mac his pistol. Mac closed his eyes as he took it. Bozer could see his Adam's Apple bob as he fisted the weapon and brought it up to Bozer's face. Mac's face was an expressionless mask, but his eyes screamed in anguish. Boze opened his mouth to tell Mac it was ok…_

_ Mac snarled and slammed the pistol into the side of Bozer's head. Bozer collapsed into blackness._

"Mac hit you?" Jack said wide eyed. Bozer winced as he licked his sore lips.

"I think he was shutting me up from giving away the fact that he knew me."

"What happened next?" Jack's fists hurt from the tightness he curled them with.

"We don't know." Riley said.

"What? What do you mean you don't know?"

"We were coming in fast and hard with full TAC," Matty explained, "But there was gunfire and an explosion. We found Mac covered in blood carrying Bozer on his back out of the compound." Jack smiled despite himself. He put a hand on Boze's shoulder and squeezed it. Boze didn't look up.

"He was a mess." Boze said. Jack nodded. Of course, how could he not be.

"He was quiet, too quiet. You know." Jack nodded.

"Yeah, I get the picture."

"He got the info, the entire command team of the militia were dead and the compound was pretty much destroyed." Matty didn't try to hide her pride.

"And he saved me." Bozer added wiping his eyes.

"He never showed up at the debrief and we've been looking for him since the day before yesterday." Riley finished. Jack shook his head. What the hell had Mac been doing all that time, other than drinking and getting into bar fights? Jack nodded and finished his cold coffee.

"Ok. Ok, I'll find him and bring him back." Jack said reaching for his keys.

"Where, Jack? We looked everywhere." Matty huffed. Jack gave a reassuring smile.

"No, Matty, no one knows everywhere."

"Except you?"

"No," Jack said as he stepped out into the hallway, "But I know more than Mac thinks I do. I'll get him." Jack nodded and strode down the hall his brain already ticking off places he had to look.


	3. Chapter 3

The diner was starting to fill with people for lunch by the time Jack pulled in to a spot close enough he could see through the big front window. Jack turned off the Vette and narrowed his eyes looking through the moving customers searching for his partner. If Mac wasn't here, Jack had no idea where to look. Only a year ago, this was Mac's go to thinking spot. Mac had told Jack this had been his grandfather's version of skee ball and pizza. Now something about meeting his father in a diner spoiled it. Jack didn't even know which diner Mac and Big Mac met in, but it made things too complicated or something. Jack sighed as he palmed the keys and strode into the diner.

He could have stepped through time. The greasy spoon noise and smell of pie and fried foods. Jack licked his lips. He waited for the waitress to seat a group in front of him before he studied the booths. He was about to leave when he saw a single slumped silhouette almost hidden by shadow in the last booth.

"How many?" The waitress, Molly, was too old to be a teenager but didn't look near old enough to look as worn as she did. Jack smiled at her.

"It's ok, darling. I found my boy." Jack pointed over to Mac. Molly nodded and turned to a family of four that crowded in behind him. Jack crossed to the back booth and stood over the table studying his partner.

Mac looked bad, really bad. He'd gone beyond ash white to bloodless except for the multihued bruising, cuts and scrapes. Mac's eyes were sunken and he looked like he was about to fall over. Jack scowled when Mac didn't seem to notice him. Mac stared into his coffee as if he saw the answers to the entire universe in his dark reflection. Jack cleared his throat. Still no response. Jack rolled his eyes and slid into the booth across from Mac. Mac didn't look up until Molly came to their table. Mac stared at Jack blinking slowly as if he'd just woken up from a nap. Even his hair seemed to stick up in all different directions.

"Yeah, we'll take two stacks of cakes and OJ and some bacon," Jack paused and studied Mac another second, "Make that bacon and sausage." Molly smiled and disappeared. Jack leaned forward and met Mac's gaze. Mac turned away.

"You found me." Mac's voice was flat with exhaustion.

"You thought I wouldn't?" Mac shook his head.

"No...yeah, fuck I don't know." Mac held his forehead in his head.

"The others came over." Mac sighed.

"Jack, I don't want to-"

"They're worried about you, and I gotta say I'm more than a little worried myself, bud." Mac rubbed his eyes.

"I'm-"

"No, you're not and you know it." Jack stared into Mac's eyes. Mac turned away and sniffed. Before he could say anything, Molly returned with a large tray full of food. Mac stared at his pancakes. Jack smiled at the faint green tint his pallor took. He'd had to pay the morning tab on more than a few alcohol binges in his time. As much as his friend drank, Jack almost felt a little guilty. Almost. If Mac didn't look like he hadn't eaten for the past month, Jack might have let it go. Might have.

For his part, Jack let conversation go as he dug into the plate of food. He felt like he hadn't eaten in the past month, plus he'd learned a long time ago you ate when you had the chance. Mac sipped his orange juice and nibbled on the bacon. After that settled and he was reassured it wouldn't come back up, Mac dug into his plate in earnest. Jack smiled but didn't say anything until the dishes were cleared and they sipped coffee. Mac sat with eyes closed. He looked like he was reconsidering the whole puking proposition. Jack's phone beeped. Both men jumped in surprise. Jack stood up and left the table enough so Mac probably couldn't hear his conversation.

"Yeah, I found him." Jack started before the others could say a word.

"How is he?" Bozer asked.

"About like you'd expect."

"When are you bringing him in?" Matty asked. Jack didn't like the edge of anger in her voice. Jack frowned studying his friend. Mac leaned forward and buried his face in his arms. An idea occurred to him.

"Matty-"

"No, Jack."

"No? You didn't even hear what I was-"

"You want to take Blondie on the road."

"Well, I think-"

"No, he needs to be seen and debriefed."

"Ma-"

"No."

"Will you let me finish a sen-"

"Matty, Jack's right." Jack rolled his eyes, but didn't complain. Riley continued, "Look, he isn't going to open up to us and you saw how he was after this mission. He needs to decompress."

"That's all well and-"

"Matty, this time was bad." Bozer interrupted Matty. Jack smiled at the silence that followed. He could feel Matty's glare. Matty huffed loud enough for her irritation to come through loud and clear.

"Fine, but you are going to keep in contact, got it?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And Mac has to be checked over by Doc Carl first."

"I'm thinking the same thing."

"Fine. And Jack, quit smirking." Jack chuckled as Matty hung up. Jack frowned as he stowed his phone. Ok, so where should he take Mac? His first instinct was Los Vegas, but he worried about the sheer number of bar brawls they could end up fighting. He thought about going home to Texas, but Mac wanted to curl up and hide from the world. Jack knew Mac had to work through whatever was stuck in his craw. There are too many distractions at Nana Beth's. Jack sighed. Face it, he told himself, he really wanted to spend time alone with his boy.

Jack was feeling ragged himself and the separate missions were taking their toll on both of the brothers. They needed somewhere quiet to rest and restore. Jack scratched the scrub on his cheek. Somewhere bad guys couldn't find them, they wouldn't have to rescue anyone, and Mac couldn't fall off a cliff or drown after falling off a fishing boat. Jack shook his head. He thought about taking Mac out on a boat for a month, but he didn't want to be the only punching bag for Mac's funk. Normally, he wouldn't mind but Jack knew he was tired and a bit burned out. He worried he would lash out in anger back at his partner. On a boat there wasn't anywhere they could go to chill out away from each other after a fight. Jack knew fights were coming.

Jack slid into the booth and studied Mac thoughtfully. He thought about Mac's cabin. He knew it would be good for Mac, but honestly wanted to get away from California. The outdoors was a good idea though. On the other hand, the last mission was out in the middle of the woods. Would it bring up bad associations for the kid?

Jack considered Hawaii. They would run into distractions, at least Jack would. He'd want to visit the Five-O team, plus Hawaii was hardly free from trouble. Jack's brain instantly came up with a million ways they could end up held captive, have to foil terrorists, or hell, run into a convenience store burglary.

"Why are you staring at me?" Mac asked without looking up. Jack straightened in surprise.

"I'm not-" Mac looked up his blood shot eyes reflecting his exhaustion.

"Yes, you are. I told you I'm-" Mac trailed off a familiar look crossed his face and he ran from the booth. Jack watched as Mac fled for the bathroom. Maybe the added sausage had been a mistake after all. If the bathroom wasn't a single Jack would have followed his friend, but the patrons of the diner would stare and Mac didn't need that right now. Jack yawned as he stood and grabbing Mac's jacket, went to pay for breakfast.

As he stood in line, he googled. He typed in what he wanted and scrolled through the list. He raised an eyebrow at the last entry. Isolated, no chance of bad guys finding him, even a chance for Mac to do some sciency stuff. Best of all, nowhere for Mac to run. Jack grinned.

"Bingo." He payed for breakfast then went to wait for Mac. As he stood by the bathroom door he could hear Mac losing most of his innards. Jack winced. As Mac let out a moan then continued barfing. Jack scrolled through pictures of their destination. It felt right. Making a decision, Jack booked their trip. By the time Mac emerged pale and shaken, Jack already had their travel plans set up. Mac leaned on the doorway. He looked like he was going to fall over. Jack absently handed Mac his jacket.

"C'mon, brother, we got places to go." Mac narrowed his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Jack grinned at the wariness in Mac's voice.

"You trust me don't you?" Mac groaned and staggered forward, "Perfect. First stop, we get to visit your favorite person in the whole world." Mac stopped in mid step.

"You don't mean-"

"Yep." Mac opened his mouth to argue. Jack put an arm around Mac's shoulders squeezing enough to remind Mac of his recently acquired aches and pains and how he'd gotten them.

"Close that mouth, kiddo. I'm not exactly giving you a choice." Mac stiffened and Jack could see him puff with anger. He leaned in closer, "Unless you want all these kind people watch me haul you over my shoulder." Mac opened his mouth then snapped it shut.

"Fine." He growled. He whirled away from Jack and stalked out to the car.

"Yup, this is going to be fun." Jack said following in the blonde's wake. He wondered if Sally really was working today. He thought about calling her in just for Mac's visit if she wasn't. Seeing Mac pouting in the front of the car, Jack took pity on his friend. Mac would have to take his chances. Jack was grumpy enough he hoped the Evil Elf was on duty, but he wasn't going to torment his friend. No more than he needed to anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

Mac winced as Jack drove through a pothole fast enough to thump his head against the passenger's window. It rang through his skull like a gong.

"Sorry, kiddo." Mac let out a deep breath but didn't open his eyes. Partly because the world was going too fast and spinning, but mostly because he didn't want to deal with Jack's irritability, or worse his sympathy. Mac swallowed, but the knot wouldn't leave his throat. He shifted in his seat and couldn't suppress a soft groan. Everything hurt.

"Mac, we're almost there-"

"I'm fine." Mac grimaced at the petulant tone in his voice. He sounded like a pouting teen. He straightened in his seat and faced his partner. Jack deserved better, especially after last night. Mac offered a smile. He was pretty sure it came out looking like a snarl. He licked his lips and softened his voice.

"I'm fine, Jack, really." It probably would have been more reassuring if his voice didn't warble like a kicked cat. He cleared his throat and turned away. He closed his eyes. The world was still too fast. He leaned his head back. His stomach flip-flopped.

"Really? So this pea-green and bruised look is healthy?" Mac shook his head.

"Not now, Jack." He growled.

"Uh-huh, right." The car was uncomfortably quiet for a long minute. Mac sighed.

"I'm sorry, Jack." He said. He turned his head and looked out the window. He couldn't face the older man's irritation, or worse his concern. He didn't deserve it. Mac closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. He could feel the cold metal, disturbingly comfortable in his hand. Feel the weight as he lifted it. Bozer's wide terrified eyes. The wash of hot dripping blood. Mac's whole body twitched and he folded his arms across his chest shivering with a sudden chill.

A warm hand on his shoulder startled him. He stared down at his boots. He couldn't face Jack. Not after-Mac swiped at dampness he refused to let drip from his eyes. The car stopped. Mac looked up surprised to find them in the parking lot of Phoenix. They were in the back of the lot, far away from prying eyes. Mac braced himself and stared out the passenger's window taking deep breaths, letting go of the coiled monster slashing apart his insides. He thought the nausea he felt wasn't from the after effects of his alcohol binge or bar brawl. He scurried for the door. He fell to his knees on the pavement and lost the ghost of food in his empty gut.

"Aw Kid." Mac shivered feeling cold and sweaty. Low blood sugar. HIs brain absently catalogued. The scientific assessment of his misery didn't do anything to ease it, but did give him the illusion of control. When he finished, he leaned against the Vette wiping his mouth with his forearm.

"What the hell did you drink last night?" Jack asked as he helped Mac to his feet. Mac groaned at the pull in his ribs.

"I think it was quantity not quality." Mac groaned. Jack chuckled in his ear. Mac shot him a quick glare as the older man helped him into the car. Jack studied him for a long minute.

"Ok, ok." He said. He drove toward the underground parking garage. Without looking at Mac, Jack spoke softly, "We are going to talk more later, right?" Mac turned away and didn't answer.

"Ok." Jack said. Mac knew he was talking more to himself than to Mac. Mac sighed almost hearing Jack's brain whirl fueled by worry and plans to crack Mac open. Mac thought of the loudness of the gunshot and shivered. He couldn't tell Jack. Mac again swiped his empty eyes. He didn't deserve it.

Jack chuckled to himself. Mac walked slower and slower as they approached the elevator. Mac shot him savage glares, but didn't say anything. He held an arm across his abdomen and limped. He was also a sickly pale color. In short, Mac looked like he was about to keel over. That did not diminish how pissed off he was about being dragged to medical. Jack's phone rang as they approached the elevator.

"Yeah?"

"Are you coming for a debrief?" Jack pushed the button and turned in time to see Mac whirl around and head to the door they'd come through. Jack grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and tugged him back. Mac growled at Jack and fought free upping the wattage of his glare.

"I'm taking Mac to medical now-" Mac crossed his arms and turned away from Jack his back stiff.

"How is he?" Riley asked.

"About like you'd expect." Mac half turned. Jack thought the kid's head was going to explode with the sheer crankiness in his glare. Jack smiled, "Oh, Sally is working."

"What? We didn't say anything-"

"Jack, don't be mean." Matty snapped. Jack could almost hear her eyes roll. For his part, Mac squared his shoulders and pulled his shirt down. His hands curled into white knuckled fists and Jack could see his jaw clench and unclench. He turned away.

"Is everything set up?" He asked softly. He glanced over. Mac spun his head away acting as if he hadn't heard Jack.

"This is a stupid idea." Matty declared with an angry huff.

"I think you're crazy." Riley added.

"Just answer the question." Jack whined rubbing his forehead. He could feel a headache coming on. The elevator dinged open. Mac moved aside to let Jack enter first. Jack casually reached out and put an arm over Mac's shoulders physically shooing him in the elevator first. Mac slapped at Jack's arm and crossed his arms. Silver-blue eyes gleamed like knives silently slicing off the top of Jack's head.

"Bozer's home packing for you now." Matty's voice softened.

"I think he should talk to Mac before you guys leave." Jack studied Mac a long minute. Mac rolled his eyes and began to pace.

"Yeah, we'll meet him there. Gotta go, the wars about to start."

"Jack!" Mac snarled, his voice elevated.

"Prove me wrong, brother. Let's go." The door dinged. Jack stood behind Mac and held onto his shoulders pushing him along. Mac leaned back squirming.

"Will you stop!" He growled. Mac twisted free. Jack let him go. Mac shoved Mac away and stormed down the hall. Jack followed at a leisurely pace. There were only two places for Mac to go Medical or a broom closet. Jack paused a thought occurred to him. He sped up flying around the corner. He didn't see Mac. His heart pounded as he reached the supply closet. He let out a breath. Mac was in medical.

"Get off me!" Jack shook his head as Mac's voice echoed through the double swing doors and down the empty hall. The listened a long minute. A familiar soft voice interrupted Mac's yelps. Sally was here. Oh boy. Jack braced himself and pushed through the doors. Let the games begin.

Mac shoved the evil red head away. Screw this. He was sore, tired, hung over, and had had enough.

"Mac, c'mon you know-" Sally got in front of him again. Mac skidded to the side wincing at the pain in his leg from the maneuver.

"I'm outta here." He muttered. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Doc Carl coming out of his office. Mac moved faster. He pulled up as Jack suddenly popped into his path. Mac tried another sidestep, but Jack was too fast. Before he knew it, Jack had his arm behind him and Mac was bent over the gurney.

"Let me go!" Mac snarled trying to head butt backwards. Jack leaned his weight in a little. Mac wheezed and closed his eyes as pain flared through his chest.

"Look, kiddo, I know you're pissed off and a mess from the last few weeks, but you are going to get checked out if I have to sit on you. Ok?" Mac kicked backwards. He knew he was in a losing battle, but he'd be damned if he just gave in. He smiled as he managed to hit Jack's shin.

"Ow, dammit." Jack growled and leaned forward harder. Mac's breath whooshed out and everything seemed to dim. Mac's mouth opened and drool ran out. He couldn't suck in enough air to puke. He closed his eyes.

"Give up yet?" Black spots were dancing in front of his eyes. Mac knew he was about to pass out. He considered it, but who knew what these assholes would do when he was out. Mac managed a weak not. Jack let go. Mac's knees buckled and he slumped to the floor, "Whoa, easy kiddo." Jack's voice echoed from far away. Familiar hands caught him before he hit tile. Mac closed his eyes dizzy as Sally, Doc Carl, and Jack hauled him up on the gurney. Bright lights blared on above him. He moaned and turned his head aside. Voices seemed to swirl around him, but he was too dizzy to follow them.

"Ok, let's get that shirt off." Mac narrowed his eyes, his gaze focusing on Sally.

"Go away, bitch." Mac growled. He shoved her away and moved to sit up. He tilted to the side. He curled forward almost doing a header to the floor. Jack caught his shoulders and looked down to meet his gaze. Mac blinked up to see double of Jack's face. The Delta was starting to boil. Mac swallowed. He wasn't afraid of Jack, but a pissed off Jack would only mean more aggravation and pain. Mac let out a long breath. He turned in Sally's general direction.

"Sorry." He said. He met her calm, concerned eyes and felt a small pang of guilt. He swallowed, "Seriously, sorry." He thought he sounded like he meant it. She smiled and patted his shoulder.

"I know Mac, you must really be having a bad day." Mac closed his eyes and straightened with a resigned sigh. Might as well get this done. Mac shrugged out of his jacket and winced at his right shoulder pulling. He could feel Doc Carl watching every flinch and twitch. Mac met Jack's eyes. Jack patted Mac on the back silently letting Mac know they were ok. Mac stared at the ground as he pulled off his shirt. The other three stared at him their eyes open in surprise. He didn't need to look down to know he had all the colors of the rainbow. He'd felt the bruises peaking.

"Here, Mac, lay down." Mac shot a venomous look at Jack but eased back. He grimaced as he flattened his arms crossed across his chest. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the explosions of pain that followed the Doc's easy touch. Mac almost flopped from the table when Doc Carl hit his left side.

"Whoa, easy, easy." Jack said as he again kept Mac from splattering his brains against the floor. Mac closed his eyes as everything spun. He gagged, but nothing came up. He puffed trying to breath through the tidal waves of pain. The others helped him lay back down. Mac put his arm over his eyes and breathed. The others spoke softly. Mac was too busy fighting nausea to focus on what they said.

"Mac?" Mac moaned as he looked up into the curly haired face of the young doctor.

"We need to get an xray. I'm pretty sure you have a broken rib or two, but I'm worried about the nausea. We're also going to get some fluids in you." Mac glared at him. Total overkill, as usual. Mac pushed their arms away.

"I 'ppreciate it, I really do, but-YEOWCH!" Mac yelled as he arched back. He clapped a hand over his shoulder and glared at Sally. He'd broken rule #1, always watch the nurse. Especially Sally. She was sneaky and fast and...mean. Mac blinked and shook his head.

"Wha- what was tha-?" Mac was suddenly having a hard time moving his muscles in the right order. He swayed. Jack and Sally eased him back. Mac blinked trying to keep the bright lights from circling his head.

"Don't worry, Mac. It's just gonna make you sleep a little while." Doc Carl's voice seemed to come from Sally's face. Mac frowned up at them.

"Wh-thu-nung." Mac's eyes closed and his head slumped to the side.

"Finally." Jack let out a relieved breath and nodded agreement.

"Was it me or was that worse than usual?" Sally asked worried. She pulled Mac's arm toward her and tugged a table already set up with all the IV gear she needed.

"He just got off a tough mission and is screwed up inside." Jack said softly brushing Mac's hair back from his forehead. He winced at the cold sweaty grit under his palm.

"Is this something we need to address more?" Doc Carl asked with a worried frown.

"I hope not."


	5. Chapter 5

Jack looked up and set aside the _Woman's Day_ he'd been reading. Bozer paused smirking. Jack narrowed his eyes.

"It's the only thing they have in the waiting room."

"Sure, Jack. Whatever you say. It has nothing to do with the sexy models." Jack raised an eyebrow.

"It's not that kind of magazine, Boze. Although it does have a cool taffeta window treatment and cupcakes made out of ginger and coconut-"

"Hey, Bozer." Sally said as she pushed aside the curtain. Jack chuckled at Bozer's yelp of surprise. Sally was a professional in sneaking. Bozer stepped forward to the gurney and held Mac's limp hand. He looked over at Sally who removed an empty bag of IV fluids.

"Is he ok?" Bozer knew they'd given something to knock Mac out, but Mac was OUT. Jack turned to Sally.

"I was wondering that too. He's been out for six hours and we got a plane to catch in another hour. I thought you only gave him fluids." Sally sighed as she taped a bandage over Mac's IV site. She paused to brush Mac's hair back.

"His liver is bruised; we had to give him medicine for puking and something for pain. He was also more dehydrated than we expected. We loaded him up with all the nutrients we could." Sally looked at Jack.

"I'm afraid he's going to be out until you're halfway there." Jack frowned. He had to admit, seeing Mac so still was unnerving. Jack sighed.

"Not much we can do about it, I guess. There were only two openings left."

"Think of it this way, Jack, you'll get to board early." Jack grinned and slapped Bozer's back.

"I like how you think. Alright let's get him ready to go." Jack helped Sally sit Mac up and supported him as Bozer and Sally wrapped his middle in a brace. Jack nodded at a bag beside him on the floor. Bozer dug out an Army T-shirt and hoodie. Mac moaned and his eyes cracked open as they moved him. His eyes slid closed again. Jack supported Mac as Boze zipped up the hoodie. They maneuvered him into his ratty leather jacket then waited for Sally to bring a wheelchair.

"You ok, Boze?" Jack asked softly. Boze swallowed and tried an easy smile. It faltered then crashed. He shook his head.

"I wish I had gotten to talk to him. I need to tell him it wasn't his fault…"

"And ask for his appology?" Bozer stared at Jack. Sometimes he forgot how intuitive Jack could be.

"Yeah, if it hadn't been for me…" Jack nodded not having anything to offer, "I wish I could go with you guys."

"I hear ya, Boze, and I get it, but Mac's gonna be lashiing out and-"

"-and he already feels guilty. You're right. I just wish...well we'll figure it out when you get back. If you get back."

"Why'd you have to say that?" Jack growled. Bozer smiled.

"When has a vacation with MacGyver ever go smoothly?"

"Look this time there is no way, absolutely no way for bad guys to attack us, for Mac to run away, or-"

"Here we are." Sally breezed in. Jack grinned at Boze and turned to help Sally get Mac into the chair. Bozer watched them with a cold trickle running through his gut. He couldn't shake the feeling Jack had just hexed the whole deal. He swallowed and shook it away. Something had to go according to plan some time, didn't it?

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

_Eyes. Wide with fear, blazing with betrayal and rage...the gun feels like a cement glove...over the barrel he sees realization, surprise...squeeze the trigger don't pull...then-_

Mac bolted upright breathing hard. His eyes crawl around him, looking for the face, the blood-

"Mac?" Mac jumped and turned, relaxing only when he sees the worried face of his partner. Mac sucked in a long breath and wiped his damp face with shaking hands. He blinked and nodded at Jack and-

"What the hell?" He asked. Mac was on a plane, a comercial plane. First class, granted, but not a Phoenix plane. Mac was in the window seat and had been leaning against a pillow. He pulled it away from the window. Nothing. Nothing but blackness. Complete darkness. Mac shivered feeling chilled and sweaty. He had a blanket and pulled it up. Mac's shadowed reflection looked at him with deep black holes for eyes. Mac slid the pillow back and turned to Jack.

"You ok?" Jack asked. Mac narrowed his eyes.

"What the hell is going on?" Mac gritted. Jack sighed and slid his phone back into his pocket.

"We're going on vacation."

"What? You kidnapped me!" Jack flinched.

"No, look Mac-"

"YOU KIDNAPPED ME!" Jack winced as Mac's voice carried across the plane causing people to stare at them.

"Shhh." He hissed at Mac.

"Shhh? Are you kidding me? What the hell?" Mac's voice was lower but barbed like a spear.

"Mac, I know you're mad, but we need this." Mac paused taking in Jack's tired eyes. The older man looked worn through. Mac huffed and wiped his face.

"Ok. Fine. Where are we going?" Mac asked. Jack grinned.

"You're going to love it, Mac!"

"Not Vegas." Mac moaned.

"Nope."  
"Hiking?"

"No."  
"Jack, just tell me?" Mac moaned and shrugged holding his shoulder. He ached, but nowhere near as much as he did. He licked his lips and clicked on his attendant light. He narrowed his eyes and glared at Jack.

"Talk, Dalton." He snapped. Jack raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"You trying to be Matty now?"

"Jack-"

"Can I help you?" Mac studied the sylish black uniform with red belt, pointed cap, and red checked neckerchief. The nametag was in English and Chinese. Shanghai Airlines. He had literally been Shanghaied. If Mac wasn't so pissed, he'd be annoyed at the near-pun.

"Can I have some water?" Mac asked.

"He needs food too." Jack added. Mac's glare bore a hole in his partner's head. The attendant flashed a perfect smile nodded and went to the galley. Jack turned to Mac. Mac bit his cheek and turned away shaking his head.

"Mac, look-"

"No."

"No? No what?"

"Not now." Mac growled.

"Fair enough." Jack pulled out his phone and returned to playing his game. Mac pulled the pillow to his lap and punched it. He looked up as the attendent returned with a small tray of processed food and bottle of water. Mac wrinkled his nose. It didn't look good, and smelled like cabbage. He managed a small smile and helped slide the tray onto the lap table in front of him. Mac guzzled the water and tried a little of the food. He realized how hungry he was and snarfed the rest of the plate barely tasting it. He glanced at Jack as he finished the water. Jack didn't turn from his game, but had a satisfied smirk.

"Shut up." Mac growled.

"Didn't say anything."

"Just...shut up." Mac repeated. He handed the plastic container to the flight attendent then put the pillow back against the window. He leaned his head on it and pulled the blanket around him. His hands automatically worked the edge of the blanket. He stared at them, trying very hard not to think even as he thought it was a stupid thing to think.

Jack leaned back and put away his phone. He glanced at his partner. Mac hadn't moved. He didn't have the stiffness he had when he was pissed. His eyes were far away. Lost in thought. Jack chewed his cheek. They had another couple hours on the plane. Mac was a captive audience. How to attack the elephant sitting on the kid's lap? Jack decided to ease into it. He nudged Mac's arm to get his attention.

"You're gonna set the fire alarm off, bud."

"What?"

"You're gonna set the fire alarm off." Mac's brow wrinkled with his confusion.

"What?"

"You're thinking so hard over there, I can smell smoke." Mac blinked at Jack.

"What?" Jack rolled his eyes. Time to be more direct.

"Whatcha thinkin' about over there?" Mac leaned back. Jack was relieved when he didn't see Mac's walls snap shut. Mac chuckled.

"You really don't want to know."

"Yeah, I do." Mac sighed.

"I was pondering if thinking about not thinking actually constituted thinking or not." Jack shook his head.

"Ok, you're right I didn't want to know." Both men giggled. Any rancor between them melted away. Jack eased back and stretched.

"So what are you trying to not think about?" Jack smiled at Mac's surprise. Mac's eyes showed valleys of pain then it was gone. Jack sighed.

"Look, Mac. Bozer is going nuts." Mac jerked his head back.

"What? Why?" Jack frowned at Mac. Were they all wrong about this?

"Because he got caught and made you hit him." Mac's jaw clenched. Mac huffed.

"I'm not mad at Bozer at all. I'm sorry I had to hit him, but I had to do it to save his life." Mac's voice was filled with regret, but not the guilt Jack had seen in his friend.

"Then what's got your boxers in a twist?" Mac's mouth quirked up at the edges. Before he could say anything, the flight attendant came over.

"I'll have a beer." Jack said.

"I'll have 7up and pretzels, if you have them." The Phoenix pair waited until she returned. Jack smirked at his partner.

"No beer?" Mac looked sick for a second.

"Not for awhile."

"I bet." Jack laughed taking a sip. It was Tsingtao, not bad but not as heavy as American beer. They also served it warm. Jack licked his lips. Not bad.

"That why you got a 7UP? Your gut still upset?" Mac looked away.

"Yeah, nerves I guess." Jack frowned.

"I'm sorry I'm dragging you on a magical mystery tour, kiddo." Mac sighed and leaned back munching on a cracker.

"It's ok. It's kinda nice to get away. Although you didn't need to drug me." Mac shot Jack a tired glare. Jack though Mac's lack of anger was from fatigue more than actual forgiveness. Jack knew he'd pay for it later, especially if his plan falls flat. Jack swallowed and took a sip of beer.

"I didn't, Sally did." Jack reminded him. Mac's glare upped a notch. Jack backed off, he wanted Mac to open up, not clam up, "I'm sorry, Mac. You were a wreck."

"I know." Mac sipped his soda, "I suppose we're even. You went over and beyond when I showed up on your doorstep drunk."

"And beat up. What the hell were you doing?" Mac turned toward the window and stared at the pillow covering it for a long time. Jack waited. He knew this had to be Mac's choice. Mac seemed to deflate.

"I don't know, honestly." Mac turned back to Jack, his face was sad and something else Jack couldn't read, "I guess being a Nazi for a month messed me up."

"And?"

"And?" Mac turned away tearing at the empty pretzel wrapper.

"What else? I know there's something real big in there bothering you. If it isn't what happened with Bozer, then what?" Too much, too fast. Mac squirmed in his seat and turned away sipping his 7UP. Dammit. Jack chewed on his lip as the silence stretched. Jack decided to retreat.

"Being a Nazi must have sucked." Mac's jaw clenched.

"That's an understatement. You know, growing up I never really noticed racism. Mission City is pretty multicultural. All of California is. But Boze and I went on a skiing trip to Colorado. The lodge we stayed had two other school trips there. They came from more...white places." Mac's eyes narrowed with anger.

"They messed with Bozer?" Jack felt his own anger boil. He wondered if he could track them all down and beat them up for messing with his kids.

"Both of us. At first it was just them talking about us, snickering as we went past. I didn't notice, but I could tell it bothered Bozer." Jack smiled. He knew Mac wouldn't let it lie.

"I asked them to stop. That pissed them off. We started finding things broken on our skis, water poured into our beds," Mac's nose wrinkled, "At least I think it was water."

"How'd they get into your room?" Mac's jaw clenched again.

"Inside help. I changed the code on the key card reader and made it so no one could change it back or use a master code. That took care of that. The "pranks" became more overt." Mac used air quotes to emphasise pranks.

"Did you tell your teachers?"

"Yeah, they talked to the other teachers, but it didn't do anything." Mac smiled.

"So we started playing our own pranks." Jack chuckled. Mac's face fell, "We ended up leaving early, and everyone blamed me." Jack nodded. This would have given the bullies at home more ammo. Mac finished his soda.

"It makes no sense." Mac said. His voice had the same frustration Mac got when he tried to explain something simple and no one around got it. He glanced at Jack, "Racism. It makes no sense. Skin color is caused by genetic variations. There are no "races." " Again Mac used air quotes, "The cultural groups and social statuses are societally defined but are treated like biological imperatives. It makes no sense." Jack sighed and finished his beer.

"I know, kiddo. It doesn't." Jack met Mac's gaze. The kid's eyes were clouded with sadness and genuine confusion, "Sometimes it's crazy trying to understand crazy." Mac laughed.

"That's like thinking about not thinking." Jack shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess. This mission must have sucked." Mac's shoulders slumped.

"Marching with them, shouting the things-" Mac turned away with a body shudder. Jack could feel bile in the back of his throat. He'd been undercover enough times, he knew how hard it could be infiltrating disgusting groups. With his blond hair, blue eyes, and pale skin, Mac must have been seen as a prize.

The men sat in silence for a time, both lost in their own thoughts. The attendant returned and took their garbage. Mac asked for another blanket. The blonde pulled it around him, but still looked cold. Jack didn't think the chill he felt would go away with a hundred blankets. Mac turned to him, his face haunted.

"Jack, I-" Jack waited. Mac closed his eyes and flinched as if someone slapped him. Jack could feel him shiver. Mac looked down and stared at his feet. He shook his head and swallowed, "I'm sorry, I can't. Not yet." Mac murmured. He turned from Jack and snuggled into the pillow closing his eyes. Jack sighed and patted Mac's knee.

"It's ok, brother, we got time." Mac nodded. Jack watched him slowly relax. It was a long time before Mac drifted to sleep. Jack leaned back and closed his own eyes. He was a little surprise he'd gotten Mac to talk as much as he had. He wondered what could have happened that was so bad knocking out his best friend could be glossed over. Jack shook his head. He was going to talk to Matty when they got back, if not her then James himself. No more alone missions, he decided. Not one more, ever.


	6. Chapter 6

Mac yawned as the plane landed. He stood up and grunted with stiffness in his legs and neck. He hissed and tried to straighten, but there wasn't enough room. Jack reached up and grabbed his jacket pulling him down.

"Jack! What the-"

"Shhh. Sit down. We can get off first. They think you have Bell's Palsy."

"That's ridiculous-"

"Shhh. I had to come up with something to explain you being unconscious." Mac narrowed his eyes.

"Unconsciousness isn't a symptom of Bell's Palsy."

"Whatever, just go with it."

"No!"

"Mac-"

"Sir, do you need help?"

"NO!"

"YES!" Mac and Jack glared at each other. The attendant looked torn. Jack gave her a smooth smile.

"Look, denial is part of his disease. If you could just hand me my bag up and over there, we'll get out of here." Mac opened his mouth to argue. He grunted when Jack kicked him solidly in his leg. Mac rolled his eyes and followed Jack out of the seat. At this point, he just wanted off the plane. Jack grabbed his elbow and pulled him out to the aisle. It turned out it was a good thing Jack had hold of him. Mac's legs sagged. They were stiff. Mac growled as pins and needles ran up and down his legs.

"See? Told you so." Jack said as he shoved Mac into a narrow wheelchair the attendant wheeled over.

"I hate you." Mac snarled as he rubbed his legs to get circulation back. Jack leaned forward as he pushed Mac down the aisle to the door.

"I know." If he could have done it without falling out of the unsteady chair, Mac would have turned around and glared at his partner. Another attendant helped Jack off the plane and down the landing ramp. Jack dragged Mac off his seat and into a wheelchair waiting at the terminal.

The other attendant looked at Jack.

"Where are we going?" He asked. Before Jack could say anything, Mac pushed the other two men away from him stood up and stalked down the concourse. He still moved like the rusted tin Woodsman and wobbled, but didn't fall.

"Look at that! It's a miracle! A MIRACLE!" Jack yelled as he raised his arms in a hallelujah touchdown gesture. The other debarking passengers stared after him as he jogged to catch up to the blonde.

Shanghai pudong airport was one of the busiest in the world. The crowds pressed in on Mac speaking a hundred different languages. Mac shoved his way through. It was too close, he couldn't breathe. He needed out. His breaths came in gasps. His heart pounded. He turned in a circle. No Jack! Where was Jack? Mac's palms sweat. He pushed free and stepped into a small alcove beside a plastic tree. Mac put a hand on it to hold him up. He bent over trying to suck in air. He had no idea where he was. Mac straightened, telling himself to chill out. He'd almost taken in a full breath when he stepped away from the pitiful fake tree and found himself surrounded by blond-haired, blue eyed men wearing leather. Mac's eyes widened. _Eyes...wide, surprise, betrayal...BANG…_ No!

Mac gasped and shoved through the small group running blindly through the thick crowds. He had to get out, he had to-His chest hurt and everything spun. He staggered falling into a group of tourists speaking Russian. Mac gasped an apology as he spun. Everything swirled around him.

"J-" Mac gasped. He fell to his knees and legs seemed to close in around him. Black spots bobbed across his vision. He pulled at his shirt. It was too tight, there wasn't enough air-he was dying!

Hands seemed to come out of nowhere. Mac closed his eyes as he was lifted to his feet and sparklers went off all around him.

"J-" Mac tried to wheeze.

"...you anywhere, c'mon…" Jack's voice seemed to float in on a buzzing tide then wash out. Mac felt his partner duck under his shoulder. Mac gasped clawing at his chest. BANG! Mac jerked upright looking around them shaking.

"...Mac?"

"...gun-" Mac gasped trying to squirm out of Jack's grip.

"What? Mac there's no gun." Mac's eyes widened. Everything seemed to slow down. He saw a familiar face staring at him, covered in blood walking through the passing people.

"No...impossible-" Mac gasped. He tried to spin and run, but a grey fog seemed to wrap around him. His knees buckled. Jack caught him.

"Whoa, easy brother. Easy, here let's go in here." Everything faded.

Jack didn't like the color Mac turned. He glanced around him, he didn't see anything other than the typical Shanghai airport crowds. Jack dragged Mac into the men's room and sat him on the floor along a wall beside the sinks. Mac's eyes roved the room. Jack wasn't sure he was seeing the bathroom. Feeling Mac trembling and chill under his hands, Jack knew whatever the kid was seeing it wasn't good.

Jack stood and dampened a wad of paper towels. He looked down surprised. Mac clung to the leg of his jeans. Jack knelt beside Mac again and dabbed Mac's face.

"Hey, hey...it's ok, kiddo. You gotta breathe ok?" Mac's eyes didn't stop.

"J...J-" Jack ducked until his eyes met Macs.

"Mac, look at me brother." Mac's eyes darted up to look at Jack then bobbed away. Jack wondered what he was looking for. Mac clung to Jack's T.

"J...he's here…" Mac whispered, his voice coming in gasps. Jack followed Mac's gaze, his hand reaching out to the Beretta at the small of his back automatically. There were other passengers going in and out of the stalls, washing their hands, but nothing admiss. No one taking any more notice of them than would be expected. In fact, Jack thought most of the men went out of their way to not meet their eyes and gave the pair a wide berth.

Jack tossed the cloth away and gently cupped Mac's cheeks. He pulled Mac's face up. Mac's eyes darted away from his.

"Mac? Mac!" Mac jumped and slowly focused on Jack. His blue eyes were wide with fear, his pupils almost swallowed by the silver-blue. Mac blinked. Jack could see Mac's gaze slowly focus on him.

"Jack." Mac finally rasped, his body relaxing, "Jack."

"Yeah, brother, it's me. Keep breathing, alright?" Mac nodded and pulled his knees to his chest. He circled his arms on his knees and laid his head in their coils. Jack rubbed his back feeling his breathing ease and the knots in his muscles slowly loosen then melt away. Jack waited. Mac finally took in a deep breath and lifted his head. He rubbed his face and shot Jack a weak smile.

"S...sorry, Jack. I was feeling a bit claustrophobic." Jack tilted his head and studied Mac for a long minute.

"And?" Mac picked at his boot laces.

"And what?" Jack let out a long huff. He'd just slammed his head into one of Mac's walls.

"Alright, it can wait. Are you ok?" Mac wiped his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"For being drugged, kidnapped and dragged around the world? Sure." Jack shook his head. He was beginning to think this was a bad idea after all. He frowned. Should they pack it up and go back home? As always, Mac knew what he was thinking.

"Shall we continue our Magical Mystery Tour?" Mac punched Jack's shoulder. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"So you aren't pissed?"

"Well, yeah, but I trust you," Jack couldn't meet Mac's sincere eyes. Mac squeezed his shoulder.

"Seriously, Jack, I do. Besides, I'm kinda curious." Jack smiled and reached over to squeeze Mac's shoulder.

"That makes two of us, kiddo." Jack said grunting as he stood up and his knees popped. Mac stared up at him taking Jack's hand to help him to his feet.

"What do you mean two of us? You don't know where we're going?"

"Of course I know where we're going, mostly. C'mon, our luggage might be going back onto the plane by now." Mac gaped at his partner as Jack took his elbow and guided him through the crowded terminal.

Their bags were the last two circling the conveyor belt. The two men grabbed their duffle and Jack led the way out to the Taxi stand. With gestures and massacred Mandarin, Jack directed the driver to take them to the docks. Mac stared at Jack.

"A boat? Are we going on a cruise?"

"Why would I drag us all the way to China for a cruise?"

"I don't know, because you're you?"

"Ha, ha. No, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Relax, we have about…" Jack looked at his watch and silently figured the math in his head, "...six more hours to go once we're on the boat." Mac's mouth hung open.

"What? That's...that's the middle of the ocean, what the hell are we doing in the middle of the ocean?" Jack grinned and grabbed Mac's arm with enthusiasm.

"Trust me, it's gonna be awesome!" Jack shook his head and rubbed his forehead. A headache was settling in behind his eyes occasionally sending off sparks.

"Great." He grumbled. Jack grinned and sat back almost bouncing in the seat. Mac leaned back and closed his eyes. He hurt everywhere. His gut wobbled with sea sickness and he couldn't see the ocean yet. Mac didn't know if they were going to have a good time or not; he hoped Jack's attempt at surprising him wouldn't leave them both floating with the fishes. Mac groaned. Great, now he was thinking like Jack.

Mac grinned when he saw the boat. The _Yuan Gui_ was a bright green experimental catamaran. It looked like the new Nauti-Craft 4x4. Jack rolled his eyes as he handed his bags to a tall thin Asian with spiky hair with bleached ends. Mac leaned down to examine the high independant suspension grinning. He'd only seen pictures of the Australian experimental craft. His hands twitched with the desire to take it apart and see how it worked.

"Sweet ride isn't it?" The thin man called down as he pulled Jack aboard. Mac looked up.

"Yeah! Is this based on the Australian R and D version?"

"Only the basic design, we're trying a new automated hydraulic system that actually uses the flows of the tide-"

"I hate to break this up, but can we get going." Mac rolled his eyes. He took the man's hand and hopped lightly into the boat beside Jack.

"I'm MacGyver, this is Jack." Mac said. The man smiled. His brown eyes sparkled.

"I know, I'm stoked to meet you!" Mac raised his eyebrows and shot a look at Jack who rocked on his heels grinning, "Sorry, my name is Cody, I'm an experimental engineer. When I read about your background-Man, Mr. Macgyver-finally somebody will know what the hell I'm talking about!"

"Mac, not Mr. MacGyver, and...uh, thanks?" Mac shot a look at Jack. Jack shrugged and sat in one of the middle of six seats.

"Sure, sure, sorry." Cody looked at his watch, "We'll be off in another ten minutes. We're waiting on another couple."

"Uh...we aren't a couple." Jack said his brow wrinkling.

"What? Oh, I know that, not that it would be a bad thing if you were, I just meant-"

"It's ok, Cody. We know what you meant." Mac shot Jack a dirty look. Jack shrugged and watched as a yacht pulled out to sea beside them, "Who else is coming?" Code sprawled across the pilot's seat.

"A married couple, Maritime Archeologists Hiro Muraki and her husband Leonard."

"Leonard?" Cody shrugged as if to say _who am I to judge?_

"Maritime archeologists?"

"Yeah, they're coming down to work with Yòuhuò."

"With what?" Jack asked. Cody shot him a confused look.

"The city, that's why you're here, right? To study the city?"

"Of course, we just haven't heard much about it yet." Mac said smoothly. Cody nodded.

"Yeah, you were booked last minute. I get it. I'll let the others fill you in, although you're probably going to be working in the Pod like me?" Cody almost quivered with excitement. Mac nodded.

"Sure, who knows what's going to happen, right?" Mac glared at Jack as he spoke. Jack leaned back and let out a long pleased sigh. Mac turned to ask another question.

"Oh here's the others, hey Leonard, Hiro!" Mac raised an eyebrow at the mismatched pair coming toward them. If he had to guess, they were Japanese. Both wore uniform button ups, jeans, and sandals. Hiro was short and thin. Her hair looked like it was made out of ironed orange plastic gleaming in the afternoon light. Leonard topped six feet. He was more than a head taller than Mac. The man was thin, looking all knees and elbows. His short cut hair was uneven and seemed to stick up in all directions. He wore thick rimmed orange glasses that matched his wife's hair that magnified his eyes making him look a bit like a Koi.

"This is Mac and Jack." Cody said taking shopping bags the Muraki's handed him. Hiro raked them with her eyes. Her long lashes, somehow also sparkling in the daylight, flitted up and down as she studied Mac and silently dismissed him. Her eyes narrowed as she studied Jack. Her eyes darted to Leonard who also studied Jack. The tall man's throat worked. Leonard leaned forward with a smile.

"I'm Leonard, this is my wife Hiro." His voice was deep and rich and had a hint of a British accent. Mac shook his hand surprised by the strength of the grip. He frowned feeling the man's calluses. Mac glanced over to Jack whose smile took on a feral tint as he shook the man's hand. Jack felt it too. Leonard's calluses were very like those Jack had, like most Special Forces had. Mac wouldn't know exactly which military service Leonard was with, but Jack would know. Hiro nodded and slid into the back seats. Leonard nodded and followed suit. He walked awkwardly. He moved clumsily. Mac shared a look with Jack, both men wondering if it was all an act, and if so, why?

"Ok, buckle in kids, here we go!" Mac managed to stagger to his seat as Cody revved the engine and whirled the ship from the dock. The boat was incredibly fast, and smooth seeming to float along the surf. Mac's enthusiasm was dimmed a little by the mystery of their boat mates. Jack put on his mirrored aviator shades and sat with his back to the water, watching them.

Mac leaned over the back of his seat.

"So you're maritime archeologists?" Leonard grinned and leaned forward launching into an enthusiastic discourse about the growing field. Mac found himself pulled into the more technical aspects of the satellite ground penetrating the pair of archeologists were the premiere designers of. He was oblivious to the silent staring contest taking place between Jack and Hiro.

Watched tonight's episode. I have to say I like Desi. I think she's going to bring a new and interesting dynamic to the team. I'm glad they aren't trying to recreate a replacement for Jack. There is only one Jack. For my part, I think of Fanfiction MacGyver different from TV MacGyver, and in my little corner of Fanfiction, Jack will always be part of the team. I still love the show, and nothing is going to change that. I also think they are introducing Desi better than they did Cage (Could anything be worse?) and I can see her and Mac becoming partners without having a romance (thank god). I also like how they keep Jack alive rather than drop him and never mention him again. I would have liked to see a little more moping from Mac-but we did get him almost naked-so, I'm good. LOL Pox.


	7. Chapter 7

At a rustle beside him, Jack's finger tightened on the trigger to the Beretta.

"I know you aren't asleep, Jack." Jack raised his head and smiled at the small woman. She eyed him a long minute then turned forward.

"They're like children." She said. Jack shot her a glance. Her voice had thawed. Jack turned forward and watched the three nerds get their geek on. Leonard, Mac and Cody crouched over the plans to the boat that skittered across the waves. For the first time in forever, Mac looked happy. Jack sighed and turned his chair toward Hiro.

"I get who he is, who are you?" Hiro asked. She leaned back and crossed her legs. She had very long glittery nails that clicked as she tapped them against the arm of the chair. Jack smiled.

"You first." Hiro nodded and removed her glasses. Her sparkly lashes glittered under the late afternoon sun.

"You're a Delta. Why are you with a boy who never held a gun in his life? His protection? Then why has he been beaten?" Jack felt a red flash of anger pinken his face. She'd hit a nerve. She smiled. She knew it too. Jack rubbed his finger along the trigger. He glanced at Mac. Mac frowned at him, picking up Jack's unease. Jack waved at him. Mac leaned back and eyed the two guys beside him, thoughtful. Jack turned to Hiro.

"Are you really married to Leonard? He hasn't been in the military for a long time and is exactly what he says. You, however, are very active and very trained. People's Liberation Army Special Operation Services?" Hiro smiled and crossed her legs.

"Leonard is the love of my life. I would die a hundred times over to protect him." Jack nodded.

"Then you know who I am." Hiro nodded and glanced over at the trio.

"They are like boys." She said. Jack nodded.

"Yep, definitely getting their nerd on."

"Getting they're...what?" Jack turned away hiding his smirk. He knew the woman behind him was incredibly dangerous, one of the best trained spies in the world, but the look of confusion on her face made her look like a pouting Anime school girl.

The boat began to slow down. Cody said something to the other two guys and turned his focus back to steering the boat. Mac plopped into the seat beside Jack. He stiffened and pulled at the brace he wore. He turned to Jack. Before he opened his mouth, Jack cut him off.

"No." Mac raised an eyebrow his mouth still open. He leaned back and rubbed his forehead. His shoulders slumped. Jack leaned forward and fought the urge to check him over again. Not only would it piss the kid off, but Jack didn't want to advertise how crappy his partner truly felt. Jack was worried when Mac didn't argue.

"You ok, brother?" Jack lowered his voice. Hiro and Leonard were busily talking in fast Mandarin. Mac nodded then winced. Jack scowled. The pain medicine would be completely out of his system by now. Jack thought about getting Mac a pill. He moved to stand up. Mac grabbed his arm and pulled. Jack looked at him. Mac's tired eyes met his.

"I'm fine." Jack would have been much more reassured if Mac didn't look like he was about to fall over dead. Jack relaxed down and nodded.

"Ok, but we have a lot to discuss later." Mac sighed and nodded.

"Later." Jack leaned back and smiled.

"Looks like you got your nerd on." Mac smiled.

"It's nice to have someone to talk to."  
"Ok, I'll choose to not be insulted by that." Mac rolled his eyes causing a wince.

"You know what I mean." Jack grinned.

"I know, kiddo, wait till you see the rest." Mac's back straightened and he looked like a kid waiting for Christmas.

"What are you talking about?" Jack leaned closer.

"Dude, this is the Disneyworld for nerds. You're gonna love it." Mac narrowed his eyes.

"What's the catch?" Jack leaned back genuinely hurt.

"There's no catch! I want you to relax and decompress from...last month." Mac looked out at the bouncing surf and nodded. He knew that was the ulterior motive. Mac curled forward with his arms crossing his chest. A shiver ran through him. He felt exhausted. He wished he was home. A hand on his shoulder startled him. He looked at Jack.

"Relax, kiddo. It's gonna be alright." Mac stared down at his feet as he splashed the toe of his boot in a shallow water puddle, "Mac?" Before Mac could answer the boat started slowing.

They were approaching a circle of boats. The top of the water was covered with bobbing balloons. Divers.

"A hundred feet under the water is the remains of a city created more than 1300 years ago." Leonard said awe in his voice, "When we get down to the pod I'll have to show you the satellite mapping I've done. It's like an x-ray of the entire island."

"Island?" Jack asked.

"There is an underground volcanic fount deeper down. We think that it was once active and created an archipelago of small volcanic islands."

"Like the Hawaiian islands." Mac mused. Leonard smiled. He squirmed with excitement.

"Exactly! With the heavy currents and rising tides, the islands have all but disappeared. That's why we're hurrying to get all the data we can now." Jack straightened.

"It's gonna get sucked under the sea?"

"Yes. Very soon." Jack leaned forward.

"Soon, like how soon?" Leonard laughed.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I forgot you are not a scientist. To archeologists, soon is measured in hundreds of years." Jack leaned back.

"That's good, I'm really not in the mood to deal with a collapsing island." Leonard laughed a little too enthusiastically. He leaned forward.

"You are right, Mac, you're friend is very funny." Jack shot Mac a glare. Mac smirked.

The boat pivoted almost directly into a right corner. Jack grabbed the arms of his chair, but marvelled that the seats swivelled with the boat. It felt like they'd never shifted directions-like someone had lifted them then turned the boat under them. Cody glanced at his watch and turned to the others.

"Another forty minutes and we'll be at the docks." Jack nodded and shared a smile with Mac. He was no scientist, but he was feeling as excited as Mac. Well, maybe a little less. He knew he wouldn't appreciate the nerd stuff, but the rest? It was going to be the experience of a lifetime.

The docks were exactly what they sounded like. A floating dock with boats tied along the bobbing pier surrounding it. In the center was a shiny silver Quonset hut. Cody swerved and cut the engine. It fell down to a purr then a soft whine with occasional soft popping noises. Cody nimbly jumped to the dock and tied the boat off. He held out a hand and helped Hiro make the jump across to the dock. Mac bent and handed Jack his bag. Mac managed to hide most of his flinch of pain. Jack took the bag. He turned back to talk to Mac when the cooling engine let off a loud bang.

Jack jumped and had his Beretta out. He chuckled and repouched it.

"Damn, dude."

"Sorry, man, the motor builds up gas after it releases-" Jack held up his hand cutting the ship captain off.

"That's ok, Cody. Don' need to know." Cody grinned and hopped to the dock holding out a hand to help Hiro and Leonard off. Jack turned to Mac surprised to see the kid ash white, eyes wide and scouring the docks and ocean around them, "Mac?" Mac gasped and jumped when Jack put a hand on his shoulder. Mac's blue eyes shone with fear.

"Hey, Mac, you ok?" Mac turned away and nodded. He took a long breath and grabbed his bag. He pulled away from Jack's touch and hopped off the boat. Jack followed suit a worried frown creasing his face.

Inside the Quonset hut was an inner dock and bobbing in the dock a small submarine attached to two steel tracks. Jack stared at it a minute. Mac didn't stop to say anything only followed the Makuris and Cody into the bullet shaped capsule. Jack sighed and climbed in beside his partner. The top slid back and a metal sleeve with a large over head window slid over it.

"That helps keep the pressure from breaking the dome." Cody said virtually vibrating with excitement. Jack leaned over to look out. The rails seemed to vanish into black water.

"Is this like a roller coaster thing?" Jack asked nervously. Cody chuckled.

"Not exactly."

"Not-?" Jack's voice was stolen as the submarine jerked to the side and dropped into the water. Jack held on to the back of Cody's seat and looked over at Mac. Mac stared out the large window. His shoulders slumped forward. He had a far away look in his eyes. Jack scowled.

Both men started when lights clicked in along the rails and they began to sink. Mac turned to Jack a grin blooming on his face. Jack nodded. Yep, exactly what his partner needed.

The ride down took about 20 minutes. Jack marvelled at the fish they saw brush by them on the way.

"Man this is like an all you can eat fishing buffet! Look at the size of that tuna!" Mac rolled his eyes. He glanced back at the couple. They leaned with their heads together talking softly. Mac couldn't see their eyes, but he had the sense they were talking about him and Jack. Mac frowned. Jack tilted his head puzzled. Mac nodded over at the couple. Jack glanced over his shoulder and scowled.

"Didn't know we were that interesting." Jack muttered softly to Mac.

"Yeah, exactly what kind of place are you taking me?"

"Well-" Jack trailed off as they arrived.

Sprawled half into the stone of the sunken island and along a long shelf was a compound made of domes. Some looked like they were glass. Through the glass they could see a steady bustle of white coats moving along equipment and labs. As they got closer to the land, there were less windows and the glimpses they got of people were more relaxed. Obviously the habitant section of the compound.

"Looks like something you'd see in space." Mac said more than a little awe in his voice. How had he not known this existed?

"That's actually the original purpose of the Pod." Leonard said pushing his bushy blond tipped bangs out of his face, "It is actually a prototype of a complex they want to build on the moon, and later on Mars. When it was built, scientists petitioned for time on the Pod. We got all kinds of research going on, most of it involving the sunken city."

"There are oceanographers, chemists looking at the mercury poisoning of the fish in the area, the effects of pollution, climatologists, all sorts of geologist studying not only the volcano, but also the effects on the current and magnetic fields of the earth after a massive earthquake and tsunami." Cody continued. Mac grinned and leaned forward studying the Pod.

"What do you do for oxygen?"

"Right now hydraulic ventilation and hydroponics, but we are working on water fission-"

"Fission, like bomb fission?" Jack asked alarmed. His alarm didn't diminish when Mac looked as worried as he did. Leonard waved a hand.

"All experiments are tightly controlled and have to go through a rigorous selection process. Anything potentially dangerous is done off site."

"Right. What can go wrong with that?" Jack mumbled under his breath. There was a loud clang they the submarine shifted direction. They slid forward then slowly cranked upward into the bottom of the Pod.

Mac stood and peered up as they rose into a doc that slowly drained of water. The floor sealed below them and the two sleeves over their head slid back. The passengers disembarked. Mac sniffed. The smell of salty water and fish seemed to hang in the dripping empty cement room that held two docks for the submarines. His boots splashed through water puddling on the floor. An elevator slid open on the far wall. As far as Mac could tell, it was the only entrance to the room.

A tall slim woman with a full Afro stepped toward them. She was taller than Mac, but equal in build. She wore high tops and relaxed Jeans. Under her white lab coat, she wore a hot pink shirt with "Science Works!" printed across the front. She walked fast and strong, like Mac's first drill sergeant in the Army. He had to fight to not snap to attention as she approached them. Mac smirked at Jack fidgeting. Probably suffering the same impulse.

The woman broke out into a grin. Mac realized the woman was his age, maybe a little younger. She held out a hand.

"Codyyyy!" Cody slapped her hand and bent to kiss her on the cheek. Hiro and Leonard gave the woman hugs, waved at Mac then disappeared up the elevator with Cody.

"Well then, what have we here." The woman ran her eyes up and down both men. She nodded, "Ok, you-military, definitely military." She pointed at Jack. She narrowed her eyes and walked around Mac studying him.

"But you, you are something completely different."

"Girl, you don't know the half of it." Jack said laughing. Mac shot him a droll look. The girl stopped and studied Mac with a steady gaze. Mac turned away. She nodded.

"You are interesting. You are definitely a sciency guy, and yet have the build of someone who is in fights or works out a lot. You got the crap beaten out of you. Most people would be in the hospital with what you've been through, but you're here acting like you really aren't hurting. I'm guessing you were in a bar brawl of some sort, you still have glass in your hair…" She reached up and pulled a tiny piece out of Mac's hair. Mac ducked back from her touch and Jack took a reflexive step forward. She held up a tiny glittering sliver of green glass, "So this didn't happen too long ago, not even long enough ago to have a shower. You were late additions. Without applying for any project, someone pulled strings to get you in here. Government. But you really don't look like a spy." She rubbed her chin. Jack and Mac shared a nervous glance. She pointed at Jack, "He is obviously your bodyguard. Now who are you to need a bodyguard?" The woman stepped back and linked her hands behind her back. She grinned.

"I love a mystery, oh I'm Jem-Short for Jemima Lareau. I'm the director of the Pod facilities." She jutted out a hand. Mac smiled and shook it. She had a strong dry grip. He had no doubt she could mess up his hand if she squeezed as hard as she was able.

"I'm Mac...uh, Angus MacGyver." Jem raised an eyebrow.

"And I thought I drew the short straw in names. Angus, really?" Mac shrugged. Jack leaned forward.

"I'm Jack Dalton." Jem nodded at him.

"That is very Texan." Jack grinned.

"Damn right." Jem laughed.

"Alright, mystery boys, let me give you the five cent tour."

The two men were exhausted when they were shown to their quarters two hours later. The Pod had labs of all kinds, a mile long track and full exercise gym, pool, and spa. What felt like miles of stone caverns with rooms lining them in daisy patterns. A cafeteria. Mac and Jack grabbed a quick sandwich, too tired to wait for a real meal.

"You've only seen about a third of the Pod, but you're about to drop. So here's you." Jem gave them a key card and bade them good night.

The room, like most of the buildings, was a dome. The circular wall opened into a full window looking out into the dark water. They found a control panel that allowed them to turn on different lights outside the dome so they could see the fish swim by. Jack pulled the heavy curtain closed covering the whole wall.

"I don't know man, having fish stare at me all night kinda freaks me

Out." Mac plopped on the bed. The rest of the room looked like any hotel room. A small hall led off to a standard bedroom. Functional, no frills. Mac leaned forward grunting as he squirmed. He reached back and hissed in pain as he tried to take off the truss Doc Carl insisted he wear. Jack came over and lifted his shirt, helping unsnap the brace. Mac let out a deep breath of relief as he pulled it away.

"Thanks," Mac said sincerely. Jack patted him on the shoulder and moved over to his own bed, "I guess we know how fish feel in an aquarium now." Mac said around a yawn. Jack sprawled on his bed and crossed his legs.

"I'll let you shower first." Jack said. Mac looked over at Jack. He blinked at him slowly. Mac nodded.

"Thanks." Mac grabbed clothes and headed for the bathroom. The

Water was cool, but felt fantastic on his sore and aching body. Mac shampooed, gritting his teeth as he pulled glass out of his hair. He stared at one brown piece as big as his fingernail. He vaguely remembered a bald guy with more tattoos than hair. Mac moaned and leaned over feeling as if he'd been punched in the chest. He slumped to his knees and curled into a ball under the water.

He gritted his teeth as the memory played. _Bozer's eyes...fear, panic...BANG..._Mac jerked upright when the silent gunfire echoed in the bathroom. It took him a long minute to realize Jack was pounding on the door.

"...gonna come in there!" Mac frowned. How long had Jack been calling him. He realized the water was freezing. He shivered, but was too tired to move. He closed his eyes and leaned his head into his arms crossed on his knees.

"I'm fine." He yelled. Mac winced. His voice sounded anything but.

He shook his head. The bathroom door opened and Jack peered around. He frowned taking in Mac curled up shivering in the bottom of the shower.

"Yeah, sure you are." The older man grunted. Mac shook his head and yawned.

"Jus' tired." Mac murmured. Jack sighed. He reached into the shower and pulled his hand out.

"Damn, son, that is frickin' cold!" Mac shrugged.

"Feels good." Mac was too tired to figure out if he meant it or not. Jack turned off the water and sat on the toilet.

"I bet it does. Like an ice pack all around ya, huh?"

"Hmm." Jack shook his head. He reached over and tugged a thick towel from the rack above the toilet. He leaned over Mac and dried him off as much as he could then wrapping the towel over his shoulders. Jack silently inventoried the collection of bruises and wounds spread around Mac's body. He winced at the worst one over the kid's right side. His bruised liver. Jack got another shower and rubbed Mac's hair dry. He took the opportunity to feel the kid's scalp. Most of the grit was gone. Mac seemed to melt into a puddle.

"C'mon, kiddo." Jack said. Mac nodded but didn't move. Jack got behind Mac and lifted him, ducking under his partner's shoulder to hold him up, "This is getting too familiar, bud." Mac's head ducked forward his wet bangs dangling in front of his face. His eyes were already closed.

Jack pulled back the blankets and sat Mac on the bed. He got Mac's sweats and undershirt from the bathroom. He returned to the bedroom only to find Mac buried under the mound of blankets, hair puffing out in all direftions as he snored. Jack chuckled and set the clothes on the table beside Mac's bed.

Jack took his shower and climbed into bed. He relaxed down. He glanced over at his friend and got back up to turn on the bathroom light and left the door ajar. If he knew his boy, all the shit he kept pushing down would bob back to the surface. Jack yawned and clicked off the lamp beside the bed. He just hoped they both got a few good hours before that happened.


	8. Chapter 8

WARNING: This chapter will present many racist views. These are NOT my beliefs, I put them in only to show some of what Mac went through and how terrible racism can be. Unfortunately most of the comments come from actual meetings of the KKK, skinhead militias, etc. What I describe is actually the more mild things I've seen in research for this story. It turns my stomach even to put these to paper. I think racism, particularly the idea of white supremacy is outright evil and disgusting. I also think that if we ignore it or shove it aside, it festers and grows like a disease. I apologize in advance for anyone I offend, know that is not my attention. I do NOT believe or support any of the views voiced by the Militia assholes. -Pox.

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The room was dark, like a bar, and hot. Mac wiped sweat out of his eyes. The roars of the uniformed men and few women surrounding him seemed to suck the air out of the room and thump against his body like a gauntlet of fists. He'd already excused himself to puke. The hatred around him hurt. He gritted his teeth.

"This Nigga isn't even a person!" The Colonel, leader of this militia, screamed. He stood over an African-american who looked around them with panic. He'd made the mistake of fishing out of a creek near the militia compound. He'd been beaten bloody. He was exhausted and terrified.

The Colonel slapped the man across the face.

"See it ain' human! It can't blush. It doesn't feel anything. It's only here for one thing-to rape our women and kill us all. What should we do with it?"

"Lynch! Lynch! Lynch!" Mac raised his arm and chanted with the

Others around him. The Colonel stood on stage grinning and raising his arms to work the crowd into a frenzy. Mac met the cowering victim's eyes. The man closed his eyes and fell on all fours shaking so hard Mac could see it from the back edge of the crowd.

"Look how it begs, worse than a fucking dog!" The Colonel screamed froth flying from his mouth. Mac dropped his hand and ducked back. He squeezed into a dark alcove and bent over. He didn't have anything left to puke. He felt hot, dizzy and his heart pounded. He slumped against the wall.

"Kill it!"

"Burn it!

"Lynch, lynch…" Mac closed his eyes forcing himself to move

through the pressure pounding against his body. His blood burned. He didn't see some guy he didn't know. He saw Bozer up there beaten, facing this hate. Mac shook his head. He had to do something.

Mac's eyes raked the environment. It was a barn made with plywood and cement bricks covered with flags and symbols about White supremacy. Mac's gaze alighted on the box of supplies by the door. It is what they would use to burn a cross later. It would have exactly what he needed.

It was well guarded. How could he get them away from the box? He glanced at the racists. They were pumped into madness. Mac slid along the wall. He stepped toward the guards. The fists on the rifles tightened.

"Great night, isn't it!" Mac said with the most enthusiastic grin he could muster. One of the big men wrapped an arm around Mac and pulled him into a side hug.

"Amen, brother! We're gonna party tonight!" Mac nodded. He stepped closer to the box.

"Is this your first cross burning, kiddo?" Mac forced himself to look into the dark eyes of the hillbilly in front of him. _I ain' your brother and I sure as hell ain' your kiddo!_ Mac growled. He nodded unable to produce language.

"You're gonna love it, then we have a picnic brewing with some of the best ribs you'll ever taste."

"S...sounds great!" Mac managed. From afar he could hear his Phoenix teammates in his ear. They were drowned out by the fury raging around him. He clicked the comm off. He didn't want them to hear this. Shit, he didn't want to hear this.

"You're looking a bit green, you 'k?" Mac put a hand on his gut and another on his mouth. He bent over the box and fell to his knees only half faking the retching. The men all bobbed back disgust on their face.

"Jesus, dude. What the hell did you eat?" Mac tuned them out. As he wretched he reached into the box and pulled out a lighter hiding it in his hand. He slipped it into his pocket as he wobbled to his feet. The guards all circled the box and peered in.

"You puke in the box?" Mac wiped his mouth as he grinned.

"Nah, I wouldn't do that." He winced as the one to his left slapped him hard on the back, "I do need some air, though."

"Aw you're gonna miss the-"

"I have to-" Mac made like he was going to puke on them. They stepped aside.

"Sure man." Mac pushed past them and dashed to the back of the building. He fell to his knees trying to get in air. He was ready to level the whole place and tell Matty to stuff it. Shaking, Mac took a long breath. He clicked his comm back on. He winced at his teammates overlapping loud voices. Matty had read in Riley and Bozer. Mac felt shame scrape along his skin, burning like road rash.

"Mac?" Matty broke through. Mac opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"Dude, you ok? We've been watching you-" Bozer started. Mac straightened his eyes widening. He saw Bozer caught and beaten.

"No, don't." He hissed. Mac was unable to stifle the loud note of panic.

"What? Mac do you need exfil?" Riley asked.

"Do you have the info?" Matty asked her sharp tone a counter note to Riley's worry. Mac leaned against the building. He forced himself to consider his options. He shook his head. There really weren't any, were there? Mac sighed.

"Mac, what's wrong?" Matty's voice was so motherly Mac felt tears pricked his eyes. He forced them away and rubbed his face.

"Nothing. I need more time." He winced at the tightness in his voice.

"Mac, you don't sound good-"

"I have to go. Don't come until I call you." Mac turned off his comm. He pulled it out of his ear and went to throw it far away. He paused, surprised by the illogical move. He stowed it in his pocket. He pulled out the lighter and crouched near the back of the building. With his knife he dug a hole through a tiny opening in the cement and through the wood. Mac lifted a twig and stuck it in the hole. He made sure it was touching the linen flag inside. He lit it and stayed long enough for it to flare into a small flame he knew wasn't going to burn out before it hits the flag. Mac glanced around him. Most everyone was inside the auditorium.

Mac braced himself then came around to the door. He greeted the guards who laughed at him and teased him about puking. Mac's skin crawled. Only the knowledge this whole place was about to go up in flames let him allow them to touch him at all. He grinned as he sniffed smoke over the stink of unwashed bodies and grimy sweat.

A murmur began to move across the wild audience. The murmur soon turned to cries of fear. The guards turned and ran into the building. Mac ducked to the other side of the door and he crouched in shadow waiting. It didn't take long. He could see flickering coming through the door. All of the militia inside the building came running out desperate.

"Leave it, let's go! Get the water line going or this whole compound will go up!" Mac grimaced. He waited until every racist was out of the building then ran in. He choked in the thick air and waved it out of his face as he nimbly worked his way across the auditorium.

The beaten man looked at him with wide eyes, but didn't make a noise. Mac didn't have time to untie him.

"You have to stay quiet, ok?" The man nodded, a tiny blade of hope flaring in his eyes. Mac tugged the man toward him and grunting with effort lifted the man over his shoulders. He wasn't Jack. His muscles, shoulders and back hurt as he scurried through the shadows of the compound. Luck was with them, the side gate wasn't guarded. It was locked. Mac huffed as he pulled out his knife. He felt like it took him years to move the tumblers. He stepped out and locked the gate behind him. Mac ran as fast as he could into the dark forest surrounding the compound. He headed toward the creek. He fell to his knees and felt skin torn, but he got back up and kept on moving his adrenaline pumping through him.

Mac didn't realize he was at the creek until he slipped on mud and fell into the water. It was cool. Mac slumped unable to go on any further. He eased the man off his shoulder. The man fell into the water beside him.

"Sorry, sorry." Mac whispered as he cut the man's ropes. He could only see his eyes and teeth in the dim glow of the distant fire.

"I'm so sorry-" He murmured. The man offered a painful smile. He squeezed Mac's shoulder. Mac looked back, "They're gonna be coming soon, keep along the creek until you know where you are. If they get too close hide under the water." Mac tugged a reed from the water and carved into it until it was a hollow tube. He handed it to the man. The other man grinned and opened his mouth. Mac couldn't tolerate his gratitude. He cut him off.

"Good luck." He hissed. He rose turned and ran back the way they had come. Mac run faster and blindly. He welcomed the branches slashing across his face, arms and chest. The bumps, the bruises. With each one he saw the man he'd freed get punched, or kicked, or- Mac took a step and suddenly there wasn't anything under his boots. He didn't even have time to cry out in surprise as he bounced down a steep boulder field. The dizzying trip ended when he slammed into a large oak tree.

Mac gasped and sat up. He shook with cold and was slick with sweat. It took him a second to remember where he was. Mac closed his eyes and rubbed his side trying to slow down his fast breaths, or at least breathe quieter. He glanced over at Jack surprised the Delta was still asleep. The older man was out, his arm and leg hanging half out of bed. Mac swallowed and strode to the bathroom. After he closed the door, he slumped to the tile. He pulled his knees to his chest and put his face in the cup of his arms. He shook and cried and fought not to scream.

Jack bolted awake, his hand closing around his Beretta. He searched the room. Jack gasped when he looked over at Mac. Mac's bed was neatly made, but no Mac. Jack gracefully rolled to his feet. The bathroom was empty. He could see signs of a shower. He touched the towels hanging over the shower bar. A few hours ago. Jack glanced at his watch and raised an eyebrow. He'd slept a full six hours!

"No, dammit." Jack growled as he crossed to his bed and slid into his boots. Had Mac woken up upset? How could he sleep through that? Part of Jack's brain argued that he hadn't slept much over the past month and had been exhausted. Jack cussed himself out. No excuse, Dalton. Dammit. Jack pouched the gun into its waistband holster and stomped toward the door. He froze noticing a note taped to it.

_Went for a run, meet me in caff for breakfast. Mac._ Some of the fear unwound. He closed his eyes and wiped his face. At least Mac couldn't go far. Mac was surprised to see the halls lit with light that felt like gentle sunlight. He remembered that astronauts had trouble with knowing day from night and it screwed with their systems or something. The Pod people were probably doing something similar here.

Jack had an innate sense of direction. He easily retraced the path they had taken on their tour. He paused in the doorway of the cafeteria. No Mac. Jack felt a sinking in his stomach. He knew where the kid would be. Dammit. Jack walked quickly to the gym. He froze in the door. Mac was indeed running around the track, but he was long past needing to stop. Mac ran as if Satan himself was on his heels. His face was red and his gait unsteady. One hand cradled his side. He was about to drop. Jack strode past scientists doing their morning workout.

Jack jogged until he was in front of Mac. He could hear Mac's wheeze from twenty steps away. Not good. Jack crouched and grabbed Mac with both arms stepping back with the kid's momentum. Mac froze, his eyes looking at something Jack couldn't see. Mac gasped for air. Jack slowly released him. Mac slumped to the astroturf as soon as Jack let him go. Jack felt Mac's sweaty forehead. He felt cold and shook. Jack could feel Mac's muscles twitch under his touch. Mac's eyes were wide. Confusion slowly seeped in. Mac blindly reached up and wrapped his fist in the front of Jack's shirt.

"J-J-" Mac huffed. Jack straightened him on the ground then held his hand.

"Yeah kiddo, it's me. Just lay there and breathe, ok?" Mac closed his eyes.

" 'K." He gasped. Jack looked up as Jem ran to his side.

"What's going on? What does he need?" Jack appreciated the woman didn't ask if they were ok, when they obviously weren't.

"You got a medic?" Jem nodded and pulled a radio from a holster at her him.

"Code Blue at the gym." A staticky voice answered her. She put a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"He'll be ok, we got some of the best docs in the world...and a few cool toys." Jack absently nodded. He didn't take his eyes off his partner. Mac's breathing was almost normal. Mac dropped his hands and turned his head to the side, his face going slack. Jack petted Mac's hair back from his wet brow.

"Yeah, he'll be ok." Jack murmured. He knew he was talking to himself more than Jem. He'd put off their talk wanting to be in a good place himself. It was obvious Jack couldn't afford the luxury of waiting any longer. He had to get Mac to open up or next time the kid starts punishing himself, he might just kill himself. Jack's mouth went desert dry at the thought.

"Aw, kid. What is going on inside that head of yours?" Jack whispered. He wasn't surprised no one answered him.


	9. Chapter 9

Awareness was slowly seeping through Mac's cocoon of pain and fatigue.

"Is he always this pale?" The voice was male, Chinese accented. Mac heard Jack chuckle.

"Actually this is pretty good for him; he's still flushed from working out."

"This is working out?" The man asked. Mac heard Jack sigh a heavy sigh. It was familiar and told Mac he had some explaining to do when he opened his eyes. He kept them closed.

"Well, we'll have a scan in just a minute." Mac fought to keep his frown from showing. He took in everything around him. He was laying on a weird kind of bed. It was about the size of a pool chair but made of a cloth that felt like velvet but also seemed to tingle when he touched it. A quiet motor started to him and a flashing multicolored light ran across his body. His hair stood up and his skin felt itchy.

Mac hissed and snapped his eyes open. He couldn't see!

"WHA-" Mac cried as he went to sit up. Hands held him down. His heart pounded. _Hands on his throat squeezing...rotten breath…'you gonna die, traitor'...wide surprised eyes..._Mac couldn't breath. He fought the hands. No, no, no...don't make me. Mac let out a loud cry and shoved him and his attacker off of whatever he was on. He yelped as his attacker flipped him onto the floor. Mac cried out in pain. His arms flopped to his side and he squirmed in pain. A hand brushed his face and he could see.

He blinked up into the very worried and very irritated face of his partner. Mac pushed to his elbows breathing hard. His eyes raked the environment. He was in some sort of infirmary. The Chinese man was a smallish man with a halo of white hair nesting around a shiny bald scalp. The man wore silver rimmed glasses that made his eyes look bigger than they were. He wore white scrubs and a stethoscope. Some sort of doctor.

"...Mac?" Mac blinked and looked up at Jack. It occurred to him the older man had been talking to him. Mac went to answer him, but got distracted to an apparatus over the bed. He pushed to his feet. Jack kept talking in his ear.

"Mac, dammit…" Mac tuned him out even as he leaned on him and let him pull him to his feet. Mac's body screamed even louder. Mac ignored it too.

"Is that a cobalt laser scanner?" He asked awe in his voice. The doctor gaped at him. Mac touched the table and grinned, "With radio reflective fibers woven into a body screen mesh!" Mac turned to Jack grinning like a kid.

"Do you know what this thing can do?" Jack rolled his eyes and huffed impatiently.

"No, but I know what I'm going to do if you don't lay down and chill the fuck out!" Mac flinched at Jack's angry growl. He looked down and frowned. On the floor were a cheap set of eye cups. That was why he couldn't see. They protected his eyes from the powerful laser. Mac looked at Jack his throat working.

"I...I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't...and couldn't...I'm sorry, man." Mac looked away his shoulders slumped. He limped over to the bed. Jack helped him lay back down. Mac turned away. Jack leaned over him a long second.

"Sometimes, brother-"

"I know, Jack. I'm sorry." Mac snapped. Jack frowned and handed him the small eye covers. Mac put them on and forced his body to relax as he reclined.

Jack watched his partner frustrated.

"Step back and wear these." Hu Wan, the doctor said. Jack put the eye protectors on and watched as the laser scanned Mac's body. Jack thought it looked like the kid was getting xeroxed. Jack rubbed his face. He hadn't meant to body slam Mac to the floor, the kid had just caught him off guard and it had been an ingrained reflex.

Jack could see the tension in Mac's body. He knew Mac had to be hurting. The blonde's hands were curled into tight fists. Jack walked over and put a hand on Mac's forearm. He was surprised. Mac's skin was cold and clammy and he was shaking. Mac flinched away at Jack's touch.

Jack held onto his arm and reached up to brush Mac's bangs back from his sweaty forehead. Mac jumped with surprise then turned away. Jack could see his bottom lip tremble. He opened his hand and Jack took it in his. Mac clung hard.

"So, Mac, exactly what can this thing do?" Mac swallowed then turned with a weak smile.

"Well…"

The scan only lasted twenty minutes; the lecture lasted longer. The gist Jack got was that it could see anything in the body down to the cellular level. Wan didn't interrupt Mac but stared at him suspiciously. Mac trailed off feeling the man's glare as if the man was reaching across the room and stabbed him.

"How do you know this?" Mac frowned.

"I read a lot?" Doctor Wan sniffed then turned to a monitor. He pulled it closer. Jack helped Mac sit up. Mac couldn't suppress a groan. Hit gut churned and his right side felt like it had been...well slammed into a huge tree at a hundred miles an hour. Ok it wasn't a hundred MPH, but the point stands. Mac shook his head and winced at the dizzying pulse thumping through his head.

Dr. Wan scrolled through tables. Lab results he frowned.

"What did you do to your liver."

"Bruised it." Jack supplied. Mac shot him a quick glare. Jack smiled and waved at the monitor. Mac studied it and leaned forward interested. It was like a 3D Xray. Dr. Wan scanned in until Mac could see the lobes of his own liver. He winced at the middle lobe which was twice the size it should be. Mac rubbed his side. It was kinda creepy to look inside himself almost in real time. Dr. Wan turned with a raised eyebrow.

"You have had many injuries and surgeries."

"That's true." Jack said, his voice sad. Mac put a hand on his partner's shoulder. Jack had been there for him through every one. Well ok, there was the time he broke his leg falling off the school's roof, but Bozer had been so that counts.

"So, Doc?" Dr. Wan turned and slid off his glasses folding them and stowing them into the pocket of his scrub shirt.

"You have many muscle strains and are dehydrated. I can give you a shot to replace the nutrients you lost, mostly potassium and sodium, but you need to rest today and take many fluids."

"Sh...shot?" Mac paled.

"All this technical stuff and you still use shots?" Dr. Wan shrugged and crossed the room to a cabinet and brought out the necessary medicines. Jack casually reached out and put his arm around Mac. Mac tried to shrug him off, but the man was immovable.

"Jack-"

"Do I have to body slam you again?" Jack said sweetly. His gaze was implacable. Mac looked down and sighed.

"Ok, here we go." Mac's eyes widened as he saw the size of the needle. He didn't think Sally could have come up with anything bigger.

"It hurts less if we use big muscle." With a sad sigh, Mac tilted giving the doctor access to his hip. He closed his eyes not wanting to see-

"SON OF A BITCH!" Mac hollered as he jumped off the table and limped in circles rubbing his aching ass. Involuntary tears skittered down his face. It burned worse than actual burns did. He shot Jack a cold glare of vengeance when the older man barely managed to stifle a laugh.

"Be careful, you're going to feel-" Everything spun around him. Mac moaned and staggered to the side. He would have fallen if Jack hadn't caught him. Everything seemed to wobble at the end of a blurry tunnel. He heard the others as if they echoed off a deep cavern.

"I'm guessing a bit woozy." Jack said. Mac looked over at him. Jack's face seemed to buzz and snap like static. Mac held his hand up in front of his face. It waved back and forth, blurry like it was made out of rubber and floated in water.

"Yes, he will sleep for a few hours and wake up feeling better." Jack ducked away as Mac leaned forward to lick his ear.

"Wh..stop that!" Mac leaned back and turned his head as if Jack's head was circling. Jack rolled his eyes and shrugged Mac more on his shoulder. Mac giggled and poked Jack's neck. Jack absently slapped his hand away. Mac sucked on his fingers and gave Jack a look that was part annoyed and part pouty.

"What did you give him? He doesn't do well with drugs." For the first time Dr. Wan smiled.

"This is a special compound formulated for the needs of his body

based on chemicals specific to his DNA." Jack blinked.

"Really? That's cool."

"Indeed." Dr. Wan crossed his hands behind him and beamed like his child just graduated from kindergarten. Jack shook his head free as Mac grabbed his mouth and pulled his cheek back. Jack looked over at Mac who chewed on his lip and looked intently toward Jack's teeth. Jack spit out his fingers.

"What the hell...umfk." Mac jumped back staring at his finger. He looked at Jack wide-eyed and tearful.

"You bited...bite...bit me." Jack rolled his eyes knowing he didn't hurt Mac.

"Thanks, Doc, I'll get him back to our room."

"If he does something else foolish, you know where I am."

"Yeah, thanks. Mac..c'mon...stop, already! Why are you licking my ear?"

"Taste good." Mac started giggling.

"You are a weird dude, brother. One weird dude."

Jack got Mac a third of the way back to their room before he decided screw it and hauled the blonde over his shoulder.

"Wheee." Mac called as he reached out trying to catch his own hair in his hand. He looked like a cat chasing his tail. Jack tightened his grip.

"I hope this works." He muttered.

By the time they reached their room, Mac was drowsy. He rubbed his face.

"Whmnowre." Mac slurred. Jack had no idea what the blonde said. He sighed and pulled back the bed covers. Room service had come early. Jack gently bent and laid Mac across the bed. Mac stared at his hand as he waved his fingers in front of his eyes. He yawned and blinked up at Jack.

" 'mired." Jack smiled. Mac rubbed his eyes. Jack bent and took off Mac's boots. Mac giggled, " 'opit." Jack frowned.

"Stop what?" Mac arched his back and laughed.

" Tickles." Jack settled Mac the right way in bed. Mac rolled on his side and snuggled into the pillow. Jack pulled the blankets up. Mac looked at him, a sad look on his face. Jack sat on the side of the bed.

"What's wrong, brother?"

"Do you hate me?" Mac asked. Jack blinked not sure he heard right.

"What?"

"You do." Mac's eyes brimmed with tears. Jack reached out and grabbed Mac's hand with one of his and rubbed Mac's back with the other.

"Why would you think that?"

"I haven't...I can't...I'm sorry, Jack, please don't hate me!" Mac burst into tears. Jack frowned and pulled the kid to him holding him as he sobbed. Where the hell was this coming from? Jack signed and held on until Mac calmed down. Mac laid back and looked away. Jack got a damp rag out of the bathroom. He moved to hand it to Mac; Mac ignored him, his eyes staring far away. Jack reached over and gently turned Mac's face. Mac closed his eyes as Jack gently washed his face. Mac yawned again. His eyes sagged.

"I'm sorry." Mac whispered. Jack got the feeling he wasn't thanking him for the washed face. Mac turned on his left side away from Jack. He moaned and held his side.

"There is no way I could ever hate you, kiddo. Why would you think I would?"

"I did smthngad." It took Jack a minute to translate the garbled language.

"What did you do?" Mac curled up into a smaller ball.

"I hate hate." Mac murmured fairly clear around a yawn.

"Yeah, me too, brother. We'll talk when you wake up, ok?" Mac humed. Jack rubbed Mac's back until he felt Mac melt into sleep. Jack pulled Mac's bangs back from his face. He frowned. What the hell happened? What did Mac do that made him think Jack could ever hate him?

Jack yawned. He decided he was tired and pulled his own blankets back. With one ear alert to his partner, Jack fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

A soft conversation pulled Mac from deep sleep. He rolled over and yawned. Jack stepped into the room carrying two boxes. From the smell, it was food, good food. Mac's mouth watered. Jack looked over at him and smiled.

"Look who's finally awake, how do you feel?" Jack smiled. Mac's hair was a wild corona of hair spiking in every direction. Mac sat up and stretched.

"I feel fine," Mac grinned, "Great in fact!"

"You're not gonna lick my ear again are you?" Mac scowled at him.

"What?" Jack chuckled.

"Never mind, here this smells good." Jack handed Mac one of the boxes. Mac pulled off the lid. The meal was baked chicken with teriyaki smelling sauce. A pile of rice and seasoned green beans filled the plate. Jack handed Mac a tall glass. Mac sniffed it.

"Green tea?"

"Doctor Wang said you needed it to flush out your liver."

"Doctor who?" Mac pulled out the chopsticks and dove in closing his eyes in bliss.

"You don't remember Wang? The fancy xray thingy?" Mac narrowed his eyes and shook his head. Jack sighed and sat on the bed opposite Mac.

"Then I suppose you don't remember running for three or four hours and collapsing." Mac stared at Jack.

"I remember going out for a run."

"Yeah, a hell of a run. You passed out in my arms, scared the crap out of me by the way." Mac looked down and ate in silence. Jack watched him eat before he dug into his own meal. Jack pondered how to broach the subject. When Mac put his plate aside, it was bone clean. Mac stared at it as if he were tempted to start chewing the plate. Jack set aside his meal and leaned forward. Mac looked over the rim of his tea and eyed Jack warily.

"Mac, we need to talk."

"About what?" Jack smiled.

"Stop stalling, you know exactly what." Mac rubbed his face and ran his fingers through his wild hair.

"I don't…" Mac's shoulders fell and he let out a long sad sigh, "What do you want?" Mac's tone was flat; his voice soft. Jack decided to approach softly.

"Tell me about the bar." Mac looked up surprised. He let out a relieved breath.

"The last mission...it took me places…" Mac rubbed his face, "I needed...I don't know what. I was driving around aimlessly. I was passing Giovanni's and stopped. I don't know why...I just needed to not feel for awhile." Mac met Jack's eyes. Jack nodded giving Mac his full attention.

"I don't remember how much I drank, but I felt like my skin was crawling like it was too tight or something. A big dude came over. I don't remember what he said to me. I must have thought he insulted me because I grabbed the empty bottle and smashed it over his head. Everything became a blur after that. I don't really remember anything until I woke up at your place." Jack nodded. About what he expected. He leaned forward and gentled his voice.

"What happened on the last op?" Mac's jaw clenched. He stood up and started to pace.

"I had to embed myself with white supremacist militia to get info…" Mac trailed off. He stared at the dark waters outside their window. They could see shadows of fish circling. Jack thought he saw a shark. Mac stared at his reflection in the glass.

"Mac-"

"They captured a man." Mac's voice was barely audible. He put his hand on the glass following the movement of seaweed, "They beat the crap out of him, they humiliated him and were going to kill him." Mac again trailed off. His hand dropped and he turned to face Jack. Mac's eyes looked desolate.

"You could feel the hatred, Jack. The chants, the heat, the...I puked. I set the building on fire and carried him out and got him away from the compound...I'm not sure what happened, but I ended up falling down this hill and slamming into a tree." Jack watched as Mac absently rubbed his right side. So that's how he got the bruised liver.

"When they found me, the number two of the group throttled me guessing I was a traitor. He wanted to kill me…" Mac turned back to the tank again rubbing his throat. Mac shrugged.

"The Colonel pulled him off. He thought I fell trying to stop the guy from escaping…" Mac trailed off. He started pacing and his arms moved as he ran his hands through his hair, pulled at his shirt, crossed his chest. Jack could feel Mac's tension across the room. Jack stood up and stopped Mac with a hand on his shoulder. Mac shook his head.

"I'm sorry…" He murmured before he pushed past Jack and strode out of the room. Jack let him go.

"Dammit." He growled. What now? Jack finished his meal. He piled the dishes back into one of the boxes and strolled to the cafeteria. He handed the pile to the cafeteria lady. The scowl she gave him was identical to the one he got from his high school's cafeteria lady. Jack wondered if they all had to learn that as part of their job. Jack smiled.

"Thank you, sweet heart." The old lady looked him up and down and gave him a seductive smirk.

"Thank you, hunka burning love." She laughed then disappeared. Jack blushed and looked around the room. He was happy to find him alone. He shuddered. Her and Laura, the oldest nurse back at Phoenix...damn. Jack found himself preening and swaggering a little as he left.

As he neared the main lab, Jack paused at the doors of the smaller labs. Most of the experiments, equipment and variety of languages he heard were well beyond his understanding. He froze at the doorway of the last one. This one he understood. Jack ducked back a step out of ready view.

Rows of weapons lined the walls ranging from pistols to grenades covered every wall he could see. A long bench covered with metal working equipment, vices, sanders and hand tools ran the length of the room. The room was bustling with people working at the benches and checking the weapons. Jack's gut roiled. They were all in black TAC clothes missing only the gear.

"See anything you like?" Jack whirled his hand almost reaching the Baretta. Hiro chuckled. She looked completely different. Gone was the style and sparkle. Her hair was pulled back in some sort of complicated braid. She wore identical black suits like the men in the lab. She held no weapon, although if she was the person Jack thought she was she wouldn't really need one. Her body was easy, so Jack forced himself to relax.

"You part of that party in there?" Jack pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. She smiled.

"I am head of security, would you like to come in?" Jack's eyes gleamed. Screw the nerd stuff, this was his disneyland. Jack nodded. Hiro grinned and led the way into the room. It was bigger than Jack thought. Jack rubbed his hands together and sniffed the glorious perfume of gun oil and steel. He moved to one bench and whistled at a stubby rifle. He leaned closer.

"This looks like a Seekins Precision NXP 8, but the barrel and grip are different, and that scope." Jack ran his hand along the weapon, "It's not metal?"

"It's a metal polycarbonate we're testing. We've had good results so far. Would you like to try it?"

"Yes please." Hiro laughed and nodded at the gun. Jack scooped it up and began to inspect it up close and personal. Hiro led him back to a gun range. Jack lost himself to weapon firing and information for the next two and a half hours. By the end he felt a kinship with Hiro. There weren't many people who knew and loved guns that weren't Texan, but he found one. When he stowed the last pistol and removed his ear protection he felt relaxed and calm. All the stress and grime that gathered inside his spirit over the past few weeks was gone.

"Thank you, that was awesome!" Hiro grinned.

"No, thank you. Many of the people who build and design these weapons are scientists." Jack made an ugly face. Hiro laughed.

"Exactly, no one appreciates weapons like we do."

"Hazard of the job, I imagine." Jack said with a sigh. Hiro's smiled disappeared.

"Yes." She led the way out of the range.

"So this is all for security?"

"Most of it, some is to experiment and improve our weaponry." Jack pursed his lips. He wondered who "our" referred to. Jack glanced at the weapons around him. For the first time he wondered who was behind this Pod. Who was bankrolling all of this? Who would get the improved weapons? Jack knew they were just past the contested ocean boundary of China-international waters, but looking around him he saw all of the security personnel appeared to be Chinese. Maybe a couple Japanese and Vietnamese, but most Chinese. Most of the signage was in Chinese and English.

"Where is your friend?" Jack kicked himself. Mac, damn. He glanced at his watch. Holy shit!

"He's probably taken apart the air conditioning or something by now." Jack grumbled. Hiro laughed and turned back into the room. Jack strode out of the gun lab and ran the twenty feet to the main lab. Jack stopped and let out a relieved breath. He shook his head not at all surprised by what he found.

A herd of scientists gathered around Mac as the kid worked under some sort of fancy table with all kinds of tech bulging off it.

"...see that capacitor? If we just-" The lights dimmed then snapped back up. The machine roared into life and all of the scientists cheered. Mac backed out from the electronic guts of the thing his face stained with grease. He folded his Swiss army knife and stood. Jack didn't like the pallor on the kid's face or the slight stumble as he rose. Mac held a hand over his side but grinned as the herd of scientists bombarded him with back slaps, excitement and a million technical questions Jack didn't understand. Mac looked worn out, but happy. Jem broke off when she saw Jack. She grinned.

"I can't believe him!" She said. Jack grinned back. He loved it when others saw what he saw everyday in his best friend.

"Has he fixed everything in the whole complex yet?" Jem laughed.

"No, but he bounced a few research projects ahead a few decades. Do you know he increased our sonar range by three with a paperclip?" Jack laughed louder.

"I'm not surprised. I've seen him pull off miracle's no one even thought of." Jem sighed. She gave Jack a thoughtful gaze.

"Is there anyway we could talk your think tank-"

"Nope, he's ours and we're keeping him." Jack watched as Mac joined Leonard over the lit keyboard their heads close together. Leonard pointed at the screen.

"Always," Jack said his voice conveying his affection, "We're never letting him go." Jem nodded and patted Jack on the shoulder.

"I don't blame you." She turned and left the lab. Jack strolled through the elated chattering herd of nerds nodding when one grabbed him and babbled excitement in a language Jack didn't recognize. A couple patted him on the back as if he'd been there helping Mac the whole time. Jack shook his head. Whatever else happened during this vacation, this was worth all the time and effort. He reached Mac's side and put a hand on Mac's shoulder. Jack was surprised by the flinch he felt under his hand. Mac relaxed when he saw it was Jack.

"Where've you been?" Mac asked. His voice held a tiny note of unease only Jack would recognize. Jack felt a pang of guilt.

"Did you not see the gunroom down the hall?" Mac rolled his eyes and glanced at Leonard. Leonard nodded and pulled a dollar out of his pocket handing it to Mac.

"What's that? You bet on me?"

"Of course, I always bet on you." Mac said. Jack felt his heart glow. Mac's tone told Jack he meant more than whatever bet he had with Leonard.

"Seems like you're the rockstar around here." Jack said waving at a few scientist stragglers gaping at Mac. They turned and scurried back to their own part of the domed open area. Mac waved off the praise, of course.

"I just helped with a couple things."

"A couple things? Are you kidding me?" Leonard said his eyes wide. He looked at Jack, "He tripled the power of our sonar-"

"I heard."

"With a paperclip!"

"Yeah."

"A PAPERCLIP!" Jack laughed. Mac looked down at his feet as he shuffled. A slight blush colored his cheeks. Jack squeezed his shoulder a little.

"You should see what my boy can do with duct tape and gum."

"Really?" Mac cleared his throat to end the conversation.

"Shouldn't we align the beam before we lose the keyhole." Leonard jumped as if he'd forgotten his bride on his wedding day. Looking at his rumpled hair and wide eyes, Jack could actually see that happening although he didn't think Hiro would stand by and be ignored.

"Right, ok." He bent over the touch keyboard. Mac stared at the flat screen. It showed some sort of staticky blob moving. There were a series of beeps a rainbow of colors sparked across the screen then there was a perfect outline of the ancient city. Jack could see dozens of divers going in and out of the ruin. The image was green like night vision goggles but a whole lot clearer. Jack could almost see the bubbles following each diver.

"That is cool." Jack said awe in his voice. And it was. Giant oriental style dragons, lions and flowers seemed to float in the waters. Fish of all sorts crossed the arches that royalty once crossed. Jack couldn't imagine anyone but royalty living in the richly decorated small gathering of buildings. In the center of the small town a half broken tower pagoda stood. Divers zipped in and out of the giant opening.

"This is the first time we can see inside an undisturbed perfectly preserved Tang temple," Leonard said quivering with excitement. Mac frowned and ducked under the table. Jack stepped back and watched Mac work off a panel. His long nimble fingers wiggled a few wires and twisted a couple of brackets. Jack thought about all the times he'd seen Mac do the same thing with explosives. A shudder ran through him.

"What are you doing?" Leonard asked when the image smeared as if it were have trouble buffering.

"I'm increasing the infrared...clear up that...corner." Jack lost half of what Mac said as Mac dug farther into the machine. Jack frowned and leaned closer to the screen. Leonard bent down.

"What?" He demanded. His voice was sharp with alarm. He'd only wanted to see the city so he could examine it with an archeologist eye. Mac had seen something else. Jack frowned and narrowed his eyes at the blurry image. For a second it cleared. Jack saw a slight blur at the corner of the screen. He pointed at it. Leonard leaned forward.

"What's that?"

"I don't know. We've never been able to see this clearly at this depth before." Leonard said. There were a series of blips, then the picture again snapped into focus, this time in tints of red. Jack felt his gut dive to his feet.

"Son of a bitch." He growled. With the adjustments, Jack could clearly see a stockpile of barrels. Jack was no scientist, but the ways the barrels lit up the screen could only mean one thing.

"Nuclear waste." Leonard whispered behind him in horror.

"Yeah. Shit." Jack hissed. There goes their vacation.


	11. Chapter 11

XXX Sorry I've been gone so long. Now let's see, where were we…

They were out there. Mac could see them in the blackness, moving in silence. Mac crossed his arms and gritted his teeth. He closed his eyes sinking into the quiet of the room. The scientists, security, Mac and Jack had huddled for hours trying to figure out why the radioactive barrels were in an undiscovered cave in the bottom of the ocean, what was in them and what to do with them.

Mac rubbed his face. He was exhausted in and out. He jumped at a loud splash against the glass. A fish slammed into the glass in front of him. Time froze. Mac stared into a crooked mass of teeth. It looked like some creature from one of Bozer's movies. Mac put a hand on the window feeling the chill through his hand. A Goblin shark. Mac's wonder overcame his fear. They were the oldest known sharks; living fossils some called them. It jumped then melted back into the sway of the sea weed. Mac sighed and turned to sit on his bed.

He winced and loosened the brace Jack insisted he still wear. Mac hissed in pain as he twisted it around and tore at the velcro. Mac let out a deep breath that turned into a yawn. He glanced at the door and his watch. Jack had stayed up talking to Hiro about security forces. He said he was going to call Matty and almost shoved Mac out the door telling him to get rest. Mac had been so surprised, he'd done what his partner ordered him to. Mac frowned. Jack was up to something, and it didn't include Mac.

Mac leaned forward elbows on knees. He closed his eyes and listened. The Pod had a constant background hum, motors cycled quietly upping or closing ventilation automatically, the lights buzzed...Mac shook his head and stood pacing. He held his side. The white supremacist mission had been eclipsed from his mind by the worries about the radioactive material, but his body was marked by it. Hurt by it. Mac shook his head. No, he had more important things to worry about. He couldn't do anything to change the past, but the future was unwritten.

Matty. Mac frowned. How did they communicate with the surface? The rails. Mac nodded pacing in front of the window. The submersible they had taken from the surface. Mac had wondered why they had put it on rails. It was so they could run communication lines to the surface like telegraph lines had been along the railroad in the 19th century. It also allowed the submersible to raise and lower without people to pilot them. That made sense.

Mac hooked his index finger on his chin and bit his lip. He wasn't sure if that had something to do with...whatever, but Mac filed the nugget of info away. Why the radioactive stuff? The sunken city? Mac couldn't think of a reason how such a historical marvel could be used for some nefarious purpose. Mac froze and glanced out at the darkness.

Unless it wasn't real? Mac mentally scrolled through everything he knew about the archeological find. No, it couldn't be. The expense and vastness of what it would take to fake the whole thing was impossible. So if not the city then...Mac's gut sank. He glanced at the black swirling ocean outside the window. Mac raised an eyebrow and smiled. The shark was back, matching his pacing. Mac put a hand to the glass. The shark wobbled up to it as if he were sniffing his hand. If it wasn't for the ten inches of curved polyhexene the jutted line of teeth would be tearing him in half. Mac twitched and snatched his hand back backing away from the glass. He saw more of the shark as it turned back into the sea weed. Mac gulped. It was a lot bigger than he'd thought. Mac shuddered and pulled the curtain across the window. He stretched and glanced at his watch. It was late. He needed sleep. He rubbed his shoulder. He felt better than he had any right to, but his body still felt wrung out and snapped in a hundred different directions. Mac decided to take a shower.

He turned on the water and grabbed his clothes. The water heated quickly and filled the room with fog. Mac breathed it in and took his time scrubbing, letting the hot water ease the tension in his body. Mac yawned and shut off the water. He stepped out and couldn't breathe.

It took a long second for Mac to process the tight sleeper hold around his neck. He growled and slammed back with his elbow putting all the strength behind it he could get. He heard a deep grunt in his ear and the choke hold eased enough for him to suck in a shallow breath.

Mac stomped a foot, but his bare foot slid in the growing puddle of water. Mac fell forward. Good news his startled attacker let loose of his neck, bad news Mac fell into the shower curtain. It snapped free and he sprawled in the tub. He cried out when he landed on his right side.

Mac shoved the flare of agony away and squirmed on his back. He had a vague impression of a hulking figure in a black scuba gear. Mac couldn't see the face, but he knew where it was. Mac kicked his heel. The man jerked back minimizing the impact, but giving Mac space. Mac grabbed the edge of the tub and pulled himself onto the floor. He flopped to the floor, the stone tile cold against his naked flesh. Mac crawled for the door.

Fists dug into his shoulders. Mac wriggled away and spun lashing out. He howled. The man's chin was a cement brick. Again the man tried to grab him. Mac's wet skin was too slippery. Mac kicked up nailing the goon in his crotch. Mac's foot stung. The man staggered back a step. Mac slid toward the door. His brain sparked into wild life even as he fought to reach his towel. It was the suit. It was made of heavy fibers, like the Pod used on their medic bay chair. Made sense, Mac supposed, something would be needed for the water pressure outside. Mac gasped with realization. Of course, why didn't he think of that- ! Mac's fist closed on the towel. He balled it around his fist and turned-

Everything blinked out in a wave of pain.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack chewed his lip as he stared at the two-toned screen. The sunken city was huge. Reading the scale, the crumbling island under it sunk down miles. It was a honeycomb of tunnels and canyons. Jack glanced out the wide round windows. Other than swaying seaweed and occasionally fish shying away from the reflected light, it was all shades of black. Jack tugged on his shirt neckline. He realized how far down they were and shuddered feeling closed in and trapped. He rubbed his forehead and took deep slow breaths. The air tasted recycled, too clean, but he sucked it in with relief.

"...could it be a project?" Leonard asked. Jack followed his gaze to Jem. That would be logical, non threatening. Jack liked it. Jem shook her head.

"No, we have oceanographers studying the phosphorescence of life near that canyon, but radioactive material would never be allowed. Even if it is somehow perfectly sealed for this depth, the risks are too high. The city and all the life down here would be in jeopardy." Jack sighed. Of course. He fought a yawn and glanced down the hall to the armory. He looked at his watch. How long did it take to open a phone line? He was tired and ready to crash.

He'd planned to go to bed the same time Mac did, but he wanted to check in with Matty. That was almost an hour ago. Hiro had gone to connect the call. Jack supposed he should be glad they can even contact the surface. Leonard had babbled something about tracks and conductivity. Jack yuh-huh'd through all the geek speak. If he was being honest, he was bored. He glanced at the other gathered scientists. They were now discussing the submolecular dodahicky buttabings or something. Jack didn't care. He scooted closer to the controls. Mac wasn't here to stop him. He snaked out a hand and hit a button. The machine whirred. Jack jumped and stared at the machine as everyone turned to look at him.

"What's it doing?" He asked casually.

"It's just changing angle of refraction." Leonard said as he moved to fix it. Jack stopped him.

"Hold on a sec, where are they?" He felt a cold feather of unease slide down his back. All the divers were gone. He glanced at the others they shrugged and returned to their discussion. Leonard frowned.

"It's late?" The way he ended the statement as a question did not ease Jack's nerves. Leonard shrugged, "They probably are done for the day."

"Yeah, ok." Jack murmured. The angle changed on the screen. It tilted sharply off to the right, "Whoa! What's that?" A huge churning mass seemed to take up half the screen which blinked and went shades of gray.

"That shows the pressure under the surface."

"And that big swirly?"

"A dormant volcano vent." Jack froze. In his mind he overlaid the last screen.

"That's under the radioactive barrels isn't it?" Jack said quietly. Leonard's mouth dropped open.

"Shit." They both said. Leonard whirled and started talking to the scientists. The air became electric with alarm. Jack whirled. He had to get Mac-

"Jack, I got a Matty on the line-"

"Perfect thank you." Jack rushed past Hiro and grabbed the phone, a wall phone from the '80s, from her hand stepping into the armory. Hiro left him alone. Jack's eyes ran along the armory walls and he began to gather weapons.

"Jack, do you know what time it is here-  
"Matty, we have a problem-"

"Color us surprised." Riley said. She sounded like she had just woken up.

"Mac! Is he-"

"He's fine, Boz. At least for now. Listen…" Jack succinctly brought them all up to date.

"Ok, I tied into the feed from the Makuri satellite. This is incredible, the things you can see-"

"Glad you approve, Riley, but-"

"Jack, that city is huge." Jack sighed sliding a long thin Browning Backlash off the wall.

"Nice." Jack whistled softly and put it in his boot.

"Ja-"

"Matty, we need to get everyone out of here." He interrupted. He glanced around the room. His neck hairs were popping out. Something...something had changed.

"Jack, it's not that simple. The Chinese claim ownership of that part of international waters. The red tape alone-"

"Matty, something is going down. With all the know how and stuff they got down here it ain' gonna be good. Nukes plus boom no _es bueno, comprende?_" Jack shrugged into a TAC vest and lined the pockets with ammo. He swiped another Beretta and a sig tucking them into his waistband. When his pants felt like they were going to fall down he was happy. He eyed a combat baton and nodded. He whipped it to the ground. It extended and snapped into place with a click.

"Why can't you ever just get mugged like every other vacationer?" Bozer mused. Jack thought that was a bit unfair.

"Ok, Jack we-" Jack was thrown back into the table as the entire Pod shook. He heard a muffled boom and the lights went out.

"Matty?" Nothing the phone was dead.

"Attention, Filtration Compromised 70%." A loud siren pulsed into life. The Pod shook again. Jack maintained his footing by clinging to the bench. The siren warped, sounding drunk, "Att-Att-A-" The voice died. Jack swallowed. He knew enough to know that filtration down was bad, having the annoying voice that told you it was bad die-this shit just got real. There was another snap and dim red lighting lit the room.

Jack had a second to see a giant black clad figure coming at him before he was plowed into by a mountain. Jack cried out as he was almost broken in half his top shoved over the table. Jack was in motion before his brain truly processed what was happening. He kneed the man and winced. The man's suit was some sort of hard mesh. And wet. Jack's eyes went wide as he ducked a punch and ducked into the man's chest shoving the hulk back so he could shimmy around the man. He was one of the missing divers.

Jack fell to his knees as the man landed a solid fist to his face. Damn, the man punched like a mule. Jack realized he was still holding onto the weird retro phone. He grinned. Mac would be impressed. He rolled to the side avoiding a kick and moving fast as a spider he wrapped the man's legs in the cord and pulled the man's legs together. The big dude tried to kick his feet free. He leaned on the counter. Jack braced himself and yanked the man to the floor. The man's helmet hit the stone tile with a loud boom. It cracked.

Jack's hand brushed an underwater spear gun. He rolled to the knees jammed the pointed edge into the crack along the face. He saw a brown eye widen in terror then shot the spear. The man's cry of alarm was silenced. Jack leaned back panting hard. The man's body shook once then slumped into limp death. Jack ignored the spreading pool of blood and patted down the guy. His suit looked like something from _Star Trek_. Jack paused. It had to have come from the Pod itself. He gritted his teeth. There had to be a traitor. Jack gracefully rolled to his feet and pulled out both Berettas. First thing first-Mac.

****** Sorry it took me forever to post this, I wrote the end of this story a hundred times and it just didn't work. I think I got it now! I am pleased with how the show is going mostly (sad there's no Jack), but this thing with Oversight. I confess I rolled my eyes, although it promises some emotional whump for Mac. That's always nice. Is it wrong of me to love those blue eyes pouting in pain? LOL. I'm taking some liberties with science, medicine etc. I try to keep things theoretically possible, but I am not a scientist, so please forgive me if I am outright wrong. Thanks for reading-Pox


	12. Chapter 12

Chaos greeted Jack at the door. He was shoved back into the armory by fleeing scientists. Full auto gunfire filled the tight space.

"Son of a bitch!" Jack growled peeping out. He saw a pair of guys in black suits. Jack sighted in carefully ducking through the screaming mass. He fired twice, both men fell and were stomped by the fleeing people. Jack ducked back.

Once the panicked herd passed, Jack poked out. The coast was clear. He tiptoed across the hall jumping to avoid the bodies. He paused to check pulses. He gritted his teeth. All dead. He glanced down to the main lab. All he saw was broken equipment, hanging wires and dead bodies. Jack crouched to study the bodies. Almost every one was a perfect hit. He felt a sinking in his gut. The only people on the planet capable of doing that is special forces.

"Crap." Jack hissed. Keeping fast and low, both Berettas leading, Jack moved down the main hall. He curved toward his and Mac's room.

He slowed as he reached the cafeteria.

"QUIET!" American, southern. Jack peered in. The leaders of the Pod were gathered in a small circle surrounded by several huge figures in black. Their helmets were off. Definitely American. Jack narrowed his eyes watching them move, studying how they moved their weapons, the type of guns. SEALS. Jack ducked back. Son of a bitch. Fucking SEALs? Were they off-leash? Jack closed his eyes. Of course not. Why didn't he realize? The brass wouldn't see the amazing advances they were making here. They would only see tech that China had a hand in making. They're here to make sure no one on this Pod survives.

Jack whirled at a slight scuff behind him. A solid fist slammed into his head dropping him to the tile. He went with the motion rolling onto his back. He kicked the man, but the angle was wrong. The guy laughed and aimed his pistol, the new Glock 19, Jack absently noted. He'd heard the SEALs were adopting the Glocks to replace their trust Sig Sauer.

Jack raised his hands. The SEAL nodded and dropped the gun away from his head.

"Dalton?" Jack raised an eyebrow but didn't answer. The man held out a hand to help Jack up. Jack stayed right where he was not trusting the gesture. The man huffed, "I'm Mitch O'Donnell of the-"

"SEALs, yeah I got that, what are you doing killing all these people?" Jack allowed his anger to come through. Mitch smiled. He had a flat brush of blond hair, freckles and the hapless smile of a country boy. He reminded Jack of Mac when they'd first met, other than this guy was as big as a bear. Most special forces were because of their constant training and the heavy packs they are accustomed to carrying.

"Protecting American interests, as ordered." O'Donnell's blue green eyes flashed with anger, "What are you doing?"

"Would you believe I'm on vacation?" Mitch stared at him a long time.

"No shit?"

"No shit."

"Dude, you got the worst luck in the world." Jack sighed and nodded as he sat up and lowered his hands. He allowed his body to relax. O'Donnell followed suite. He didn't notice Jack's hand inching toward the Beretta he dropped.

"After we're done here, I'm sure the Sarge'll let you come back to the surface with us-even if you are Delta." Jack glared at the young man, his heart sinking. He didn't want to kill another Spec-ops especially an American. Could he really fault them or their orders? Jack swallowed around a knot.

"And my partner?" Mitch looked puzzled.

"Partner? What partner?" Jack felt his gut sink.

"Blonde kid? Super blue eyes whale of an IQ?" Mitch shrugged. Jack sighed.

"That's really too bad." He said sadly.

"Wha-" Jack moved fast as a cobra. He brought the gun up and pulled the trigger. O'Donnell screamed and clutched his thigh. Jack bounced to his feet and snagged the man's rifle, He raised an eyebrow and whistled. It was an old gun a Spetsnaz APS, an automatic rifle that can fire underwater. Cool. Jack turned and ran back into the thick smoke and sound of water coming from the main lab. He pulled his T shirt up over his mouth as he ducked into the next hall he came too. He checked the load on his gun.

It was in perfect condition and gleamed as if it were new. He glanced at the bullets in the clip and nodded approvingly. They had an extra spiral to their grain and were more elongated than a normal bullet. He slammed the clip back in and studied the gun. He'd actually never seen one, but from the pictures he'd seen this had a few improvements to help steady aim in water. One was a pair of tiny blades running down the barrel. Jack supposed it would steady the gun in the moving water of the ocean. He could see other attachments to the mechanism. Jack assumed they were to help the propulsion and firing in the pressure at this depth. Jack wished he could take it apart to see how it works. He made a note to himself to take one of them home with him. After he got Mac. Jack huffed.

How to do that? The cafeteria and SEALs were between him and their room and more importantly him and the docks. Also he'd need one of their fancy diving suits. He frowned. How had the SEALs gotten the tech? It's possible they had infiltrated the Pod's security force, but Jack was sure he hadn't seen any. That meant a probably traitor, probably one of the American scientists. Jack bent over coughing.

Ok, stop pulling a Mag, get on with business. Jack grumbled to himself. He ducked around the corner. There was a loud BONG and Jack jerked back holding his bleeding nose. He ignored the pain and spun pulling up his new APS.

"No...no,no...I sorry…" Jack blinked in surprise. Instead of a SEAL he stared into the wide surprised face of the Cafeteria lady. Jack let out a breath and broke off coughing.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack mumbled around coughs. The woman was pale and terrified. She pointed down the hall.

"Soldiers kill. I run, see you. If I die I die with sexy." The woman gave him a look from the top of his head to the floor and back. Jack laughed.

"No one's going to die. In fact, you can help me. What's your name sweetheart?"

"LuLu." Jack took her hand in his.

"I need a way to the dock." Lulu smiled.

"Maintenance tunnel?"

"Perfect." Lulu smiled and tugged Jack after her. They went to a lab full of rocks. At the back of the lab was an door leading to a room full of shelves full of more rocks and a few animal skills. Jack wrinkled his nose. Along the back wall was a recessed door. Lulu pulled on the small latch. With a loud creak it cracked open. Jack gently stepped past LuLu and led the way into a surprisingly dirty, cobwebbed path through tubing, metal pipes and electronic panels.

A small strip of lights lit the path, but the shadows above three feet hid most of the piping. Jack grunted as he walked into a low hanging pipe.

"Dammit!"

"You ok-dokey, sweetmeat?" Lulu purred at his side. Jack smiled.

"Yeah, I'm fine. This was made for short people." Lulu laughed. Jack gritted his teeth and shoved aside a rubber hose that tried to hang him. After fifteen minutes they came up to another door. Jack knelt.

"What's through here?" He whispered. Lulu frowned.

"Food pantry, then cafeteria." Jack frowned.

"How do we get through the cafeteria?" Jack said it more to himself. Lulu shrugged.

"Very carefully." Jack looked down at her and laughed. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"You are a jewel, Miss Lulu." Lulu blushed and looked away.

"You say that to all girls." Jack thought of Laura.

"Yeah, maybe I do." Old ladies. Jack sighed and followed Lulu through the hatch and into the pantry. He could hear shouts from the wall abutting the pantry.

"...me what I want to know or I will kill your boy toy here." Jack paused. What did the SEALs want to know?

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hiro's voice was filled with pain and warbled for fear. Jack gritted his teeth. There was the sound of something solid slamming into flesh then a barely human scream. He couldn't tell, but if he had to guess it probably was Leonard. Hiro remained silent. Jack shook his head and followed Lulu. She was stronger than he was. If that was Mac...Jack felt bile boil the back of his throat. It isn't. He chanted to himself. He had no idea where his partner was, but he had to hold onto the idea that Mac was busy making his own move. It was worrying that the place hasn't gone boom or something bigger. Mac was ok; he had to be.

Lulu stopped him with a hand on his arm. Jack nodded and patted her arm. She crept in front of him and held up her oversized frying pan ready to smash anybody that got into her way. Jack rubbed his nose in silent sympathy. Lulu paused and tucked the pan into the back of her belt. She bent and crept forward on all fours. Jack slung his new gun over his shoulder and followed.

Jack was impressed. The kitchen floor was spotless. He ducked when he heard a gunshot. He froze. They crawled behind a food prep table. He couldn't see anything moving around him. Lulu looked at him her eyes wide. He put his finger on his lips and motioned for her to keep going. She gulped, nodded and moved. Words broke through the keening wail. He heard a slap.

"You asshole-"

"There was no need for that!" Jack pulled Jem's voice out of the alarmed uproar. There was a loud chorus of screams. Jack guessed the SEALs had raised their weapons.

"I'm going to kill you-" Hiro said her voice tight. She cried out in pain.

"Now you're a widow." It was the same voice as earlier, probably the sergeant, "Do you really want me to kill all the others? Where is it?"

"I don't know...what-"

"WHERE IS IT?" Flesh smacked flesh.

"I don't-"

"Let me stop you right there you Jap bitch! You tell me what I want to know right now or the best scientist here is going to die in a way that makes that look like play time." Jack frowned at the gap of silence that greeted that.

"Don't act like you want to lose the famous Angus MacGyver?" Jack's heart stopped.

"What-"

"He's not-" Jack wondered how they knew about Mac. He shook his head. There were bigger worries. Like they realize Mac wouldn't be leverage against the scientists. Jack grabbed the back of Lulu's collar and shoved her under the food table. He grabbed a big copper pan and threw it over the sneeze guards of the buffet tables. There was a clamor of confusion. Jack hopped on the table rolled to the other side. He brought the APS up. He was impressed. It aimed beautifully. He dropped two SEALs before the others honed in on his position. His heart lurched. For all he knew, he'd just killed American soldiers doing their jobs. Jack gritted his teeth and threw himself fast and low avoiding a long stitch of bullets tracking him.

"Who in the Hell is that?" The man roared. Jack frowned. So the kid knew him, but the Sargeant or whatever didn't? An itch between Jack's shoulder blades told him something was seriously wrong. Jack landed in a roll came up and took out two more. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hiro roll backwards and move to standing. With the same movement she kicked the side of the SEAL beside her. He whirled to slam the butt of his APS into her face. She ducked and came up with a stiff hand to the bottom of his throat. He dropped his rifle and held his throat as he dropped to the ground. Hiro slid off her shoes, bent and pulled her zip tied hands around her feet until they were in front of her. Hiro gritted her teeth and pulled her elbows apart. Contrary to popular opinion, with enough pressure zip ties in front of you were easy to break, if you can get the right leverage. With a snap, they came undone.

Hiro grabbed the fallen soldier's APS and shot a SEAL. She froze as she turned to the last one, the leader. Her eyes narrowed. He held a pistol pointed directly at Jem's head. Jem stood frozen in front of the man, her eyes closed.

"Hiro, don't." Jack said softly. Jack shot a glance at Hiro as he smoothly slid out of the kitchen to the dining area. He winced at the number of scientists dead. They had died hard. His eyes lingered on Leonard. He'd kinda liked the nerd. He glanced at Hiro. Her hands shook as she stared at the leader. Jack knew it wouldn't be long before she snapped and took the jerk out, killing any chance he had of finding out what they did to Mac.

"Easy, Hiro." He met her eyes. She swallowed and nodded. Jack turned and studied their enemy. He was indeed a Sergeant. Jack sized him up as the man did likewise.

"You're American, Delta? What in the hell are you siding with this riff-raff? The man spoke with a deep Drill-sergeant's voice.

"Where's MacGyver?" Jack asked. The main opened his eyes wider.

"What's he worth to you? He's a turncoat." Jack frowned.

"What? No, he isn't."

"Of course he is! He's here working with these fucking chinks-"

"No, he's not. We came here for vacation!"

"What? Who the hell would come to this shithole for vacation?"

"You know, I'm starting to agree with ya there, bud," Jack said with an easy grin. He nodded at Hiro and slid his gun over his shoulder. Any humor he had was gone. He tugged out his Beretta and pointed it at the man's forehead. The SEALs eyes darted around the room looking for a way out. He took a step backward. Jem moved back with him. Jack frowned. He studied her. He wasn't holding her.

"Son of a-" Jack stepped back and shifted his aim to Jem. Jem dropped into a crouch. Jack shifted his aim. Things slowed. The SEAL Sargeant's lip curled up as he brought his pistol online with Jack's face. Jack shifted his own gun but knew he was too slow.

He jumped when bullets roared past him. The SEAL looked down shocked as the APS's ammo sliced through his black super scuba suit. Jack whirled tracking Jem. She ran into the kitchen.

BONG! Jack grinned. Lulu struck again. Jack jogged into the kitchen. Jem was laid out blood coming out of her nose. Lulu looked up at Jack confused.

"I do good or fired?" Jack laughed and squeezed her shoulder.

"Good, girl you did real good." Lulu smiled and straightened. Jack bent down and grabbed the slender woman by her wrists. He ducked and dragged her over his shoulder. He wove his way into the dining room. Hiro knelt by Leonard's body crying.

"Uh, Hiro-" She sniffed and wiped her face. She brushed a lock of hair away from his bloodless forehead. She kissed him then stood and nodded at Jack.

"We need to get to the dock." Jack agreed. They'd reached the hall. The stones were slick with a thin layer of water. The air was filled with smoke. Things were getting dire. Jack coughed and followed Hiro who walked beside Lulu helping the older woman along. They had just passed Mac and Jack's room when there was another loud boom. They were thrown to the ground.

"Son of a bitch!" Jack roared. The sound of grinding metal and shattered glass sounded and the entire Pod shifted. Jack's ears popped and Godzilla took a sit down on his chest. He heaved in air. Hiro dragged Lulu to her feet and pushed forward. Jack did the same with Jem.

The front of the Pod, where the main lab had been sank. Jack cried out as he slid down the steepening slope. He gritted his teeth and dug in. Wet, cold and slowly suffocating the small group fought forward. Jack was gasping for air by the time they reached the dock. Jack tripped on the suddenly flat floor and sprawled on the ground. Hiro punched a wide button on the wall and a thick metal door slammed down. Jack grimaced as the thud echoed through his head like a gong. He laid back and took deep breaths. Jack sat up confused when he realized he could. He turned to Hiro who crouched puffing in air.

"We were wondering what happened to you!" Jack looked up into the ridiculously cheerful face of Cody. Jack grinned. Behind the kid a group of twenty or so scientists huddled around a jury-rigged thing that looked like a telescope on a tripod. Dr. Wan came to Hiro's side.

"Are you alright?" Jack paused taking in the similarity between the two. Her dad? Jack shook his head. Didn't matter right at the moment. Hiro spoke to him in whispers. Jack couldn't tell if it was Japanese or Chinese, but he could guess what it was about when Hiro burst into tears. Dr. Wan folded her in close and rocked her as she sobbed.

Lulu crossed to another pair of older women wearing the same uniform. She grinned called out in Mandarin and held up the pan. They came to join her and soon they were in a giggling huddle. Jack did not like the way they looked over at him then chattered in a tone that was definitely R rated. Jack gulped. Focus. He crossed to a scientist he recognized from the main lab.

"What's this?"

"It is cobalt laser, we are trying to make it work to fix rails on shuttle." Jack frowned.

"Show me." The man turned and hit a button along the docking door. A small screen showed the view outside the dome. The tracks leading from the dock to the surface were a tangled mess. Jack turned.

"You're hoping to laser that stuff off?"

"No, to separate the leash to the submersible." He pointed at the top of a metal mechanism that curved under the dock. Jack guessed it was the arm that brought the round sub thingies into the doors at the bottom of the dock. If they didn't cut the thing loose they weren't going anywhere.

"Ok, how long before it's ready to go." Dr. Wan joined them. He wiped reddened eyes.

"We can not make it work."

"We aren't engineers, we are medics." Jack rubbed his face. Ok, first thing's first. He turned to Hiro.

"How long will the air in here last?" Hiro pointed to the ceiling where a large fan was whining.

"As long as that works." As they watched there was another explosion, the fan above started squealing. Of fucking course. Jack growled to himself.

"Ok, we need Mac." Jack said itching the scruff on his chin.

"I hear bad man tell other man blonde man not in Pod." One of the lunch ladies said as the group joined the others.

"Not in the pod?" Jack gasped. His eyes automatically travelled to the small hatch. Out there? Freezing cold blackness, pressure...even with those special suits no kind of clothing can hold out against that kind of pressure forever. And that's not taking in sharks, radiation, and who knows what. God. Jack ran his hands over his face. Focus. _Jack, there's always a way._ You bet your ass, brother. Hold on I'm coming to get ya. He turned to the small scared group facing him.

"Ok, here's what we're going to do…"


	13. Chapter 13

His friends always teased Mac about living in his head. As he flew through the blackness of his skull, he had to agree with them. His body waved and undulated like a long stalk of seaweed. He was cold, but completely calm. Everything was silent. He floated through night and all the stars exploded into bright glittering light. Blues, reds and a strip of lights running back and forth in front of his eyes.

Like petals on the wind they danced around him. He reached out a hand, they floated through his fingers but he couldn't touch them. Mac sighed. Agony speared through his side. He curled forward with a scream. He gagged, but nothing came out. Mac blinked coming fully awake. He jerked upright and spun. He slammed his head into something solid waking up another pounding pain. Mac held his hand to his head but still couldn't feel it.

"Wha-" Mac gasped. His voice echoed loudly and had a tinny whisper to it. His breathing was loud, like Darth Vader. Mac felt himself tilt into panic. A soft buzzing distracted him. Sweat beaded down his skin. It itched. Mac forced himself to take deep breaths. Ok, I got this. Mac ignored the pounding in his ears and head and side...Mac blinked. Ok. He opened his eyes.

The blackness was real. The glowing lights were real. Mac glanced down at his chest where a small blinking light flashed in time with the soft buzz. There was a control panel there. Mac squinted but couldn't bend enough to see what the squiggly letters said. Mac took in the rest of his body. He was wearing a black scuba suit made out of mesh...as he scraped his gloved hand over it he could hear the distant hollow zip of the fibers. Everything came back like a sledgehammer to his head. The material was the same type they used in the med chair back at the Pod. The Pod at the bottom of the sea; the Pod where he'd been attacked.

Mac swallowed. The air tasted tinny. He wasn't an avid scuba fan, but he knew what air from the bottom of the tank tasted like. Crap. It took all his willpower to continue breathing easy and long. He focused on his environment. He reached out and twisted around until his head faced the same direction his air bubbles floated in. He cried out and pulled his right arm down. Why did his side hurt so bad? Had he been hit? Mac's mouth went dry. His swollen liver. In pressures this high, could a liver burst? Fuck, fuck, fuck. Mac wrapped his arm across his abdomen as if that would protect his body.

Get a grip, Angus. He told himself. He was still breathing. The mesh obviously counteracted the pressure somehow. Mac frowned as he thought about it. It was hundreds of microscopic layers of fibers designed to stretch and reflect energy. Would that work with pressure? Mac groaned. His head hurt too much for him to think clearly.

His eyes tracked a bright blinking line of lights. It looked like neon track lights. Mac blinked. Were hallucinations caused by an exploded liver? There was something illogical about that, but Mac's head hurt to much to chase it down. Instead he reached out a hand. The light brushed his hand then flitted off. A fish. Of course. At this depth there were a lot of fish and other creatures that had natural phosphorescence.

A school of hundreds of blue puffed jellyfish flowed past him on the current. By the dim light he could just about make out an arched overhang just over his head. He reached up and light burst out all around him like green lightning. Mac grinned in wonder and poked the stone again. He realized there were tiny filaments growing in the stone, some sort of anemone? He didn't know, but it would prove useful. He poked the fuzz again. He took in his surroundings in the next burst of life. His heart stuttered. He was at the bottom of the ancient city. A tall forest of seaweed surrounded him, and worst of all, a heavy chain connected his right foot to the floor of the arch. Oh boy. Mac sighed. He floated in the dark for a long minute thinking. He awkwardly spun flapping his left hand until he could wrap his hand around the chain. He closed his eyes gagging. He felt as if he was being cut open along his side. He was relieved he wasn't actually puking. He wasn't sure how that would affect this weird scuba mask, but it wouldn't be good.

When he could again, he focused on the chain. It was solid steal, old, possibly ancient. He pulled it. Firm, but he was in the wrong angle. He inched down cringing as he was surrounded by movement. The tiny blinking light lit the seaweed intermittently. Mac shuddered. He swore faces jumped out at him screaming, melting back into the black. His heart and breathing were racing by the time he finally felt the latch holding him to the bottom of the arch. He planted his feet and pulled up. It was firm. He bent and started feeling around the loop. It was a fight to keep breathing through the pain.

He scraped away layers of silt and pebbles. There was a whoosh and a flat fish of some sort flapped past his face. Mac gasped and breathed a minute. He pulled again and it moved, just a little. He brushed his hand further out. His heart hopped when life skittered over and away from his hand. His fingers ran into something hard. Mac gasped as he bent farther and pulled it from the seabed. Running his hands over it he found it was some sort of broken shell. It was a sharp triangle on one side and curled on the other.

Mac made his way back to the chain and used the shell to dig around the base of the chain. He pulled up again with a pop that should have made a sound, it came free. Mac flipped over backwards and slammed into the seabed. He gasped and felt himself float up. At least he thought it was up. Mac decided to rest a minute. He pulled the chain up and laid flat letting his hands and legs float out. He swayed with the seaweed as he closed his eyes and took in air, letting wave after wave of pain wash over him. His body relaxed. He was so sleepy, it wouldn't hurt to nap…

Mac gasped and opened his eyes. He shivered. His side pain had spread throughout his entire chest. He felt bloated. Blood? Mac licked his lips and glanced around him. Nothing. Everything black. He'd floated above the fringe of seaweed. He closed his eyes as his gut roiled and cramped. He wretched. Foul-tasting drool ran down his face. He gagged at the burn on the back of his throat.

Had he passed out? Fallen asleep? How long was he out? How long had he been in the water. Mac felt sleep pull at him. Hypothermia, probably. Whatever protection these suits gave probably faded with time. How much time? Mac took in a breath, or tried to. He gasped and his eyes opened wide. The air was stale. He glanced down. No red flashing light. Mac didn't know what it was for, but he knew one thing about flashing red lights. When they stopped flashing, you were usually screwed.

Ok, he told himself, don't panic. You're somewhere in the Pacific, deep. Life threatening pressure, probably exploded liver (hold the worry on that one, there was no evidence it had exploded, yet), sore middle at any rate. No idea which direction led to the Pod. Was that everything? Mac winced as pain lanced through his head. Oh, and a probably concussion. Ok, first thing first….

Mac's brain froze, not literally, but...fuck, close enough. Mac shuddered and forced in another slow breath. Panic would not help. He needed to be calm-ish if he was going to survive. First thing he'd have to do...AAAIIIYYY! Mac jumped and whirled his eyes wildly travelling the blackness around him. Something brushed Mac's leg. Mac froze, or tried to. His teeth chattering sounded loud in the silent water around him. His hands crossed across his chest. He found the links of the chain.

He flinched as something brushed along his leg. Mac bit his lip and slowly reached out. He didn't touch anything. Ok, it's moving. Mac closed his eyes and forced his body to relax. He could still feel the rhythmic swaying of the ocean, then the ripples of something passing close to him. He silently figured a vague displacement of water and gulped. About 7 feet long, 500 pounds-Mac felt bloodless and even colder.

Shark. He thought of the long-nosed, toothy Goblin shark he'd seen. It had been about that size. Had it followed him? Was it drawn to his smell? Mac was pretty sure he smelled. Between sweat, dripping mucus and bile, and blood, he probably felt like take out for the shark. Mac shook his head and ignored the sparklers crossing his vision.

He heard a thump. Mac's heart jumped. He cocked his head in that direction. Suddenly he was caught in a massive percussive wave. He screamed in pain as he was bent and thrown back. A flash of heat then bright light slammed into him. Mac forced himself to relax. He closed his eyes as he helplessly puked bile and mucus. It spread across his face. He blew out his nose trying to clear the mess away. He could feel it slide down his throat. He was drowning in his own fluids. Mac thrashed in the cold blackness.

A huge black form slammed into his thigh. Mac looked down. Mac stared into the cold eye of the Goblin shark as it bounced back from him, then ducked under him fleeing the cause of the disruption. Mac let out a long breath after the giant predator disappeared. He frowned and rolled over. He blinked and squinted his eyes. The light still shone. That had been an explosion, and a big one. Mac felt a boot in his gut. The Pod. Jack.

At least now he had a place to go. Mac gasped in air. It was definitely getting harder to breathe. He hoped there was still a place to go. Jack. A wave of despair rolled over him blacker than the water around him. Jack. Mac almost puked again when he moved his right arm. Swimming with only one side, great. Mac gritted his teeth and stubbornly clawed the water inching against the current rippling from the explosion with a single minded purpose. Jack.

He estimated a couple hundred feet, but an exact measurement was impossible. He didn't know if it was lack of oxygen, the dirt of the ocean floor, or something else, but the dim light flickered like a far away mirage. He had made it a quarter of the way when the light went away. The water and pressure had extinguished the fire from the explosion. Mac closed his eyes. His back and left shoulder burned with pain. He gasped for air, but there wasn't anything left.

I'm sorry, Jack. He thought everything was fuzzy in his head. He felt his body move in another shockwave. His body spun in the current like a leave in the wind. Mac let out a soft breath and went with it.


	14. Chapter 14

Jack couldn't stop grinning. He twisted his body in a tight corkscrew avoiding the sharp sides of a rock half covered by the sea of kelp around him. This was awesome! He glanced down at the readout on the speeding dive engine he held onto. The goggles he wore pulled light out of nowhere as far as he could tell. He could see around him like he was in the middle of a high level game. The motor he was strapped to skidded through the heavy pressure water like it was butter. He didn't know how fast he was going but he felt like it was faster than Superman lassoing a comet.

The goggles were some sort of sonar computer reconstruction something or other. The dive motor looked like standard diving equipment in a heavy triangular wedge. Hiro had tried to explain to him how it worked. He didn't care as long as it got him to Mac in record time. His elation at speeding through the water faded. He checked the readout on the engine. He saw the tiniest figure lit up. He ducked under something floating and twisted aiming for it.

They were on a countdown. The Pod wouldn't be keeping air for much longer, and Mac would be dead soon if he didn't get air. Jack shrugged his shoulder to make sure the small bag attached to it was still there. He let out a steady breath of relief feeling it bump against his back.

His relief evaporated when he looked up. He could see Mac clearly on the readout now, and he could read something large swimming around him in lazy circles. Jack had no idea what kind of monster lived in the hell of this depth, but he knew the fins from years of watching _Shark Week_. Oh hell no! Jack growled. He kicked his feet as if that could make him go faster. He squinted through the goggles. Unfortunately, they didn't focus like his eyes would. As he got closer he could see the size of the thing. It bucked its toothy snout up and nudged Mac as if making sure he was dead-or smelling his blood.

"Shit." Jack growled. He pulled closer to the thick steel of the engine and set himself. Without slowing he adjusted his heading and aimed directly for the middle of the fish. The giant creature was in its element. It thrashed away before Jack could touch it. Jack slowed the motor and drifted to Mac. He turned the motor off when he felt his partner's body in his hands.

Jack hoped the picture coming in the goggles wasn't what Mac looked like in reality. He looked pale like a dead fish. Jack rolled Mac over and pulled out the small cartridge.

"Ok, turn knob...open hatch…" Jack mumbled directions Hiro had taught him. He could feel the buzz under his hand as the tiny motor clicked into place and started working. Jack made sure the hatch was closed. He rolled Mac back over. The glass on his face shield was starting to fog. Jack let out a sigh of relief. The environmental controls or whatever were working again. Jack jumped when he felt a large something bump his leg. He forced himself to remain still. A fin brushed his arm as the shark passed under him.

Jack frowned studying his environment. They had to scoot fast back to the Pod, but the second he started the engine Ol' Toothy down there would be on them. Sharks are drawn to agitation in the water and his rocket suit definitely counted. Jack waited until the big fish wandered away then ducked. Using the strap from the bag, he tied Mac to the engine. He floated behind his partner and put his hands on the handlebars keeping his arms under Mac's armpits. He circled his legs around Mac's legs pulling them in. Not ideal, but it would have to do. Making sure Toothy wasn't anywhere around, Jack spun them back the way he'd come and gunned it. He grunted when Mac's body slipped back and the kid's head thumped into his chest. He had a moment of panic. In a normal suit that would have broken something, maybe on the suit absolutely on him. He would have a hell of a bruise, but otherwise everything seemed ok. He shifted and locked his legs around Mac tighter. He had a harder time seeing around Mac's head so he kept low.

The wall of kelp he slid through was worse than any forest or jungle he'd had to run through. He shivered. It was a dark and creepy alien wood. Fish would flash across his goggles. Luckily most of them had faster reflexes than he did and were gone before he could blink. Jack spit when a thick green blade slapped into his helmet. He chided himself when he remembered he was seeing a reproduction of his environment. He'd forgotten he wore a helmet.

In other circumstances, Jack would have enjoyed seeing the weird creatures in this weird world. They were all floaty and glowing. Lots of jellyfish. Something that looked like a goldfish poked out in front of him. The tiny dangler was replaced by a fish as big as his arm with teeth to match.

"Son of a bitch!" Jack growled doing a barrel roll through a school of jellies-were a big bunch of jellyfish still a school? Jack gasped as a giant shadow exploded from the tall green around them. A giant mouth snapped over the fish. Jack gulped and dove deeper. He swore he could feel the huge shadow follow him. He glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough Toothy grinned at him as the fish sliced through the water in dogged pursuit. Great.

Jack turned forward in time to have a Jelly Fish splatter across his helmet. Jack squinted back spitting it out only to remember again that he had a helmet on. The guts of the jelly blocked part of his screen. Almost a third of his left side was smeary. He could only see blurry shadows whiz by. Jack ignored it. He'd landed a Herc by dead-stick. How hard can navigating a kelp forest be?

Jack hissed as he glanced back. The fucking shark was catching up! How fast could these things swim? Jack knew going through the kelp had to be slowing them down. He gritted his teeth and angled up. He winced and swerved as he almost ran into an overhang. Jack blinked in surprise. They were near a coral bed cliff face. Were they lost? Jack bit his lip thinking over the maps he'd seen inside the Pod. He smiled as an idea blossomed. They were near the radioactive cave. Jack glanced around him but didn't see Toothy anywhere, yet. He knew better than to think he'd given the monster the slip. When had their luck ever been that good? Well, ok, there was Madagascar…

Jack slowed the motor. The cave should be right about...Jack turned off the motor and skidded into the cavern. It was smaller than it looked on the radar...sonar...whatever the fuck-adar. He let the motor hang by its strapped and pulled him and Mac into the cave. He glanced behind him in time to see a large shadow zip past the entrance. Jack let out a breath. He didn't think the shark could fit into the cave, but he wasn't sure. Now what. Think, think, think. What would Mac do? Jack held Mac around the chest as he slowly circled the cave looking for something, anything to help them.

Jack froze when he felt a thump behind him. He whirled to find himself facing the familiar triple circles of a radiation warning sign. Shit. He was going to be glowing brighter than these fucking fish! Jack frowned realizing something was wrong. The barrel was tipped on the bottom edge of its cover. Jack put out a hand and the barrel went flying with a light tap.

"What the hell?" The others also moved with the slightest touch. He leaned closer and studied the barrels. They were fakes. Empty fakes. He frowned trying to figure out what that meant. He shook his head. Something was going on. The SEALs, Mitch O'Donnell who knew him while the SEAL commander didn't, Jem's betrayal-Jack grimaced. It stank to high heaven like a typical CIA clusterfuck. Jack decided it didn't matter. He saw movement out of the corner of his left eye. He turned to face it. He couldn't see anything out of his clearer side, but he could feel the giant menace circling out there. He and Mac were probably the biggest pieces Toothy had ever had on his menu.

"No way, Toothy, I'm to gristly and Mac...well, he's to stringy…" Jack grunted. Now he was talking to himself. Or worse a giant shark that was lurking just out of sight waiting. Jack bumped into the barrels. An idea came to him. He turned to tap a hand on the thing. Plastic and hollow. He pushed into the middle of the three barrels. A strap was holding them down. Jack unbuckled it and unwrapped them. The barrels slowly floated from their mooring like balloons let go. He wondered what they were made of to keep them from caving in like a crushed can. Jack paused to sling Mac up higher. The answer was obvious even as the question occurred to him. Jem. Only the Pod knew how to make this mesh stuff. Jack heard a loud boom and the barrels slammed into him. He could see a dim flash that vanished just as quickly. Another explosion. Jack grunted. He didn't have time for this. He let go of the diving engine and bobbed the barrels ahead of them. They barely squeezed through the cavern entrance.

Jack approached it his palm sweating and his heart pounding. He had a mental image of Toothy sitting there grinning with a giant fork and knife in his fin and a bib around his neck. Jack pulled his imagination back in. He swore and eased past the cavern a little. Fantastic no carnivore ready to pick their bones. Jack let out a breath and spun. He tied the barrels together and pulled out the environmental motor he'd taken from Mac's suit. He flicked the test switch and smiled as it began to buzz. He tied that to the barrels. He kicked them away from the stone. They caught in the backwash of the latest explosion and bobbed in the water away from him and Mac. Jack held onto Mac and floated unmoving. He closed his eyes and held his breath when he saw a fin carving through the kelp forest a few yards away. He felt the swish of water. Jack didn't know if he actually heard it, but he swore the sharg growled as it swam in dogged pursuit of the barrels. Jack waited until Toothy and his new toys were out of sight then turned on the motor and sped toward the Pod, or what was left of it, MacGyver in tow.


	15. Chapter 15

_ "Ha! Great job!" the Colonel said with a satisfied grin. Mac gritted his teeth and fought to not cringe away from the hand the man put on his shoulder. Mac licked his lips and turned away from Bozer's bloody body. He had hit his best friend before he knew he was even moving. He'd done it to stop Bozer from breaking his cover, hadn't he? Mac could feel his hand holding the pistol tremble. _

_ It was alien in his hand. It didn't belong there. It shouldn't be wet with Bozer's blood. Mac closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to focus, if he lost it now they were both dead. _

_ "Well?" Mac looked up startled. The Colonel's number two stared at him. Mac's eyes flitted over to the leader of the militia. His arms were crossed and he smiled at Mac expectantly, "Finish it, kill the Nigger." The man spit and grinned at Mac. For all his perfect teeth, the man's breath stank like cabbage. His eyes gleamed with homicidal need. Mac lifted his gun and shot the man in the face. _

Mac gasped. His chest felt like a python was tightening around it. His eyes darted wildly around him.

"Uh…'bout time." Jack rasped. Mac followed the sound. Jack sat beside him. He was puffing in air like a smoker. Mac frowned and took in the room. He winced as his ears popped. His side burned and felt swollen. Mac groaned. Jack put a hand on his shoulder.

"Jus...just breathe. We…'re almost...done." Mac leaned back a hand across his side. They were in an upright cylindrical plain padded chamber. They wore the remnants of diving suits. Mac shivered and put an arm across his bare chest. Jack dug a finger into his ear.

"Ja..ck?"

"Yeah?"

"Wh...what's-" There was a loud snap then a long slow hiss. The pressure slowly released. Mac took a deep breath, the pressure on his chest easing. Jack stood up and swung his hands back and forth. Mac moved to stand up. He got halfway up before he cried out and fell down on all fours heaving. Tears leaked from his eyes as flames cramped his entire gut. He groaned.

"Oh man, c'mon Mac. We weren't sure what would happen. C'mon kiddo." Jack reached down and dragged Mac to his feet. Mac leaned over and clutched Jack's shoulder. It hurt to move, each tendril of pain stealing his breath. A door whooshed open and hands leaned in and took his other side. Mac glanced up. A bloody Hiro offered a tepid smile.

"Hiro-" He gasped. Mac fell on all fours gagging. He ran his hand over his abdomen and frowned. He'd gotten a lot fatter. His belly was hot to touch. Blood. Mac forced in air and coughed. Smoke. Thin. Oil. Not good. Mac reached up and Jack helped him stagger to his feet. Mac groaned and slid forward.

"Is it me, or-"

"No, bud, the floor really is sinking." Mac nodded. He studied the bay around him. Three Chinese women huddled together. They giggled and looked over their shoulders at Jack. Jack turned a hot pink and faced Mac as if he didn't notice. Mac bit his lip to keep from laughing. His humor vanished when he saw the bodies.

"SEALs." He murmured. He wobbled over to the closest body. He frowned. The SEAL wore the same black suit he wore. Or half wore. Mac shivered as he rubbed his hands up and down his arms.

"Here," Dr. Wan said as he shrugged out of his white coat. "You'd best let me see you." Mac nodded his thanks and shrugged into the garment. He pulled it closer. It was surprisingly soft and smelled of peanut butter. There was a loud explosion and they were all thrown to the floor. Mac rolled onto his back with a cry of pain. He felt like his belly was going to explode. He bit his lip enough blood ran down his chin. There was a show of sparks and a grinding noise high above them. Mac blinked up. He could see the fan above. It ground to a halt and smoke poured from the engine. The emergency lights went out.

"This isn't good." Jack muttered.

"No kidding." Hiro said on the other side of Mac.

"We need to go, now!" Dr. Wan screeched in a high panicky wail.

"Calm down!" Hiro yelled, her order belied by the crack in her voice. The Chinese trio screeched and wailed.

"I don't want to die!" Cody screeched.

"Everyone shut up!" Mac roared. He pushed himself up on his elbows. Everyone fell silent. They could hear distant screams, explosions and the sound of water pounding against the door to the bay.

"Ok, we need-" Hiro clicked on a flashlight. Mac watched as she lit three more. She handed them to LuLu, Jack and Mac. Mac staggered to his feet. Holding his abdomen with one hand he wobbled to the door. He put a hand against it. The thick steel was buckling. He gulped. His face dropped. He rubbed his hand across it and held the fluid up to the light. It was oily and smelled like burnt linen. Mac looked up.

"What is that?" Jack asked as he ducked away from moisture falling onto his face. He glanced over at Mac's face. Mac shot him a worried look. Jack sighed, "Crap, that bad?"

"Yeah, that is water flooding the oxygen tank and air conditioning system…" Mac looked thoughtful and studied the bay. He grinned when he saw the cobalt laser. He took a step toward it and fell to his knees with a groan. Jack was at his side in a second.

"Mac, we gonna build a ship out of that?" Jack pulled Mac to his feet. Mac gasped. The pressure in the bay was increasing. They had to leave soon or not at all. He pulled away from Jack. He bent with a groan and picked up the cobalt laser. Mac ran calculations as his hands travelled up and down it's length.

"Ok, Bud we-Argh!" Jack cried out and dropped his flashlight. Mac had a brief impression of a figure on his back then Jack was pulled into darkness.

"Jack-" Mac fell to the floor as the floor tilted with an awful grinding. He heard female screams and Mandarin throughout the blackness. Gunfire. In strobe light Mac caught glimpses of Jack fighting a giant SEAL. Hiro was swapping lightning fast strikes with another woman, Mac thought it was Jem. Cody huddled with the three cafeteria ladies. The largest held a cast iron pan and stood ready to bong anything coming toward her. Mac laid back as everything spun. He felt like the blob in his gut was being squeezed up into his throat. He gagged and rolled onto his side letting loose with thready green puke. Mac wiped his mouth and pushed off with his hands and feet.

He slid into the double doors. He could hear the echoing creak of the ocean straining to get them. Mac leaned against the metal and bent over the laser. He heard Jack cry out in pain. Mac ignored everything focusing on the laser. He pulled out a condenser and twisted off the cover. He tilted the mirror amplifier and tied the whole thing together with the stethoscope Dr. Wan had shoved into his pocket. Mac wrapped the rubber around the power supply and clicked the machine on. He smiled as it hummed into life. Everyone froze in shock as the light flared.

"Jack! Cover your eyes!" Mac squinted his shut and turned away as he cranked the power to max. He cried out as a deep blue-red light seemed to burn into the back of his skull. He dropped the laser covering his face with his arm. He heard a chorus of screams then felt a wave of heat flash across his body. Mac fell to his knees. There was a loud pop, sizzle and the lazer exploded.

Mac slumped to the floor grateful for the dark. He heard voices and movement around him, but everything echoed around him like he was inside a drum.

"Mac?" Mac pulled Jack's voice out of the chaos around him. He felt hands on him. Mac hissed in pain, "What? What's wrong?"

"Feel like I've been out in the sun way too long." Mac mumbled.

"You kinda look it too."

"What happened?" Hiro said at his side. Mac jumped.

"Jem there managed to slip her leash, with her goon." Mac blinked. He shook his head. Sparkles spun around him, but everything was still black.

"Wher're the flashlights?" Mac asked. He felt Jack stiffen at his side. Mac reached out blindly. Jack caught his hand, "Jack, are you ok? I heard-"

"I'm fine, brother. You can't see us?" Mac frowned and shook his head.

"Not with the flashlights off-"

"They're on." Hiro said. Mac turned to face her, but the darkness remained absolute. He felt his knees weaken. Jack caught him and held him upright. Mac's mouth moved, but he really had nothing to say. Everything had frozen. He felt Jack's hands on either side of his face. Mac ignored the sting of his partner's touch and reached out to grab Jack's wrists. They could both feel how cold his hands were beside Jack's skin.

"Easy, brother. Keep breathing. I know you're freaking out right now-I am too, just a little-" Mac laughed. A little? "-but we need to keep it together to get these people out of here, ok?" Mac took a deep breath and nodded. He closed his eyes. It didn't help, only made him feel more blind.

"I got this." Mac whispered.

"You got this." Jack confirmed patting Mac on the shoulder. Mac couldn't hide his twitch at the unexpected contact.

"Where do we start?" Cody asked. Mac jumped. He realized all of the others had come closer to them. People depending on him. Mac gulped. He had to do this for them all...and if he ended up blind? He didn't deserve any less did he? He must have shone some of the deadness he felt come over him.

"Mac? What's going on? Are you alright?" Mac put out his arms. He didn't know who helped him up. He supposed it didn't matter.

"Ok...ok, we need a motor, tubing, oxygen tanks, the remainder of whatever wetsuits you can find, and...that frying pan." Mac said aiming a hand at the chorus of giggling Mandarin he heard. He felt the others scurry away from him. Jack squeezed his arm.

"I'll be close, just call if you need me." He said softly in Mac's ear. Mac swallowed his panic and nodded. They needed all hands on deck if they were going to get out of this mess. He could feel Jack's absence before the man had gone two steps away. A kick on the bottom of his shoe distracted him. He could sense someone standing over him. Mac gasped.

_No! You can't have it, skinny!_ LuLu snapped at him in brisk Mandarin. Mac let out a long breath. He found himself looking up, and just as fast told himself he was being stupid. He closed his eyes and sank back. He wished Bozer was here, his roomie could charm anyone and was an artist at haggling. A brief image of Bozer laying at his feet covered with blood burned through the darkness. Mac cleared his throat and forced himself to remember his broken Mandarin.

_ We really need it to survive, what do you want for it?" _ He heard a chorus of Chinese and giggling.

_You get me a date with Sexy. _Mac frowned. Sexy? Who was- He heard some angry clucking and Lulu continued. _We all go on date with Sexy._ A light bulb clicked on. He burst out laughing.

"Mac? Everything ok over there?" Mac bit his thumb and cleared his throat.

"Uh...yeah, we're working out a deal."

"Don't give them the farm, ok?" Mac wished he could see the look his partner was giving him. Mac's humor evaporated. He wished he could see. Mac sniffed. Focus damn it.

_You want a date with Jack?_

"Are you talking about me?" Mac ignored Jack's suspicion.

_All three of us._

"Mac, what are you saying about me?" Mac could hear Jack come closer.

_At the same time?_ The three women around him giggled.

_We can iron out the details later._

"Mac? What's going on?" Jack was at his side. Mac smiled. He did owe his partner for dragging him to medical then kidnapping him.

_Deal._ Mac felt the woman lift his hand and shove her frying pan in his hand.

"No problem, Sexy." Lulu said to Jack. Jack yelped when the woman slapped his ass. The women giggled as they moved away.

"Mac, what did you do?" Jack rubbed his bottom. That hurt. Mac laughed. Jack glanced over at the three cafeteria ladies. Jack was beginning to know what a side of beef hanging in a markets window felt like. He turned the flashlight back to the kid. His worry shoved aside any playfulness he might have felt. Mac's eyes were yellow instead of white, and shot through with dark orange streaks. His eyelids were swollen red. Mac reached out. Jack took his hand and crouched beside the blond. Mac turned toward him.

"Jack, I had to get the pan-" Jack frowned. Some of the crippling guilt the kid had been fighting before this whole mess began slipped into his voice. Something they were definitely going to discuss, when they weren't about to be pressed into bits at the bottom of the ocean.

"Hey, hey...easy, kiddo. It's fine, although I gotta tell you those three scare me more than Laura does."

"Tough being irresistable?" Jack appreciated Mac trying. Mac looked away pursing his lips. He was holding it together-barely, but it was costing him. Jack put Mac's hand on his forearm. He put an arm around Mac's back. Mac staggered to his feet. Jack steadied him.

"It's fine, kiddo," Jack murmured in the kid's ear as he led him back over to the others, "We got everything together." Mac nodded.

"Thanks, Jack." Jack squeezed Mac's arm.

"Ok, we got everything, what are you thinking?" Hiro asked as they approached. Mac leaned over gasping for air, holding his belly. Dr. Wan moved to his side and helped him sit down. Mac leaned forward and talked quickly to Hiro and Cody. Jack had no idea what the hell they were talking about but they lit up with excitement. Soon all three were making gestures and talking about "high pressure pneumatic" something or other. Jack shook his head and cast wary glances over at the cafeteria ladies. He could feel their eyes on him. Whenever he looked at them they hunched together and chattered back and forth. Can't wait to find out what that's about. Jack pushed it all away when Mac gave a groan and collapsed unmoving to the floor.

"Mac!"


	16. Chapter 16

"Mac?" Mac hissed in pain as he opened his eyes. Everything hurt. He blinked. The world was a tiny kaleidoscope of spinning colors. He rubbed his forehead, but it didn't clear.

"Wha-" He mumbled. Familiar hands on his shoulders helped him sit up, "Jack?"

"Yeah, you ok?"

"How long was I out?"

"Too long, we're out of time." Mac jumped at Hiro's voice close to his ear. Before Mac could respond they were all thrown to the ground which tilted under them. Mac shook his head and couldn't hear anything for a long time.

"...you, but you have to tell us what to do like yesterday, bud." Mac winced. Jack had to be yelling in his ear.

"The...decompression...chamber…"Mac sputtered as he gagged on thick smoke that stank of electricity and melted rubber. Hands helped him up and half-dragged him to the cylindrical chamber. Mac leaned a hand along the chilled glass. He felt a press of bodies. Mac fell on his knees. He grunted when his calf was stepped on.

"Sorry." Mac didn't have time to sort out who had said it.

"Jack!" Mac cried.

"We're right here...what do you need?" Mac forced himself to take a calming breath. Panic wouldn't help him. He had lives to save and he'd be damned if he failed.

"Tear up the...rubber flooring…" Mac moaned as he was pushed aside. He could feel the others drop to their hands and knees. In minutes, the rubber had been clawed up. Mac felt around the circular floor and smiled. He leaned back.

"Cody?"

"Got it right here."

"What the hell is that thing?"

_It looks like a ding-a-ling. _This in Chinese by one of the cafeteria ladies.

_This is what they needed my pan for?_ Lulu shot back.

Mac ignored it all. He ran his fingers along the mesh. It was seamless, good. The frying pan hung flat in the bottom of the long cylinder. The whole contraption was two meters across and about half that long. At the top of the tube like structure was a steel cable attached to the frying pan. Mac nodded. They all fell flat as another explosion rocked the failing Pod. Mac curled onto his side fighting nausea and pain.

"What now?" Jack sounded entirely too calm. Mac was glad someone was, or at least was good at faking it.

"Ok...put this out the bottom port…"

"Port?"

"What port?"

"Under the center of the floor there's a pressure exchange chamber." Hiro explained over the growing panic in the tube.

"Here…" Mac could hear shuffling and the soft snap of air hissing. Immediately the pressure dropped. Mac slumped to the floor fighting for air.

"Quick...don't lose…" Mac mumbled before he ran out of air.

"Ok, sealing it...shove the rubber back in. This isn't going to last long." Mac forced himself to his knees and turned his back so he leaned against the chilly glass.

"Cody? Turn the internal pressure to match external...Dr. Han...oxygen. Hiro?"

"I have the crank and motor."

"Attach the cable. Everyone down...brace yourselves. Cody…"

"Got it. Mac, if we die I want you to know this is gonna be an ugly way to go." Mac gritted his teeth. _Again he felt the gun...felt the hot splatter…_

"Don't you worry 'bout it, my boy's got this, right Mac?" Mac felt Jack's warm hand on his forearm. His partner sat beside him. Mac fought the urge to reach out and cling to the older man. He forced in a long painful breath.

"I hope so." Mac murmured.

"I was kinda hoping for a little more...umph, ya know, reassure the troops?" Jack said softly in his ear. Mac shot him a daring grin.

"If I screwed up, it'll be quick." Mac said around a laugh.

_What's so funny?_

_Skinny boy thinks he's a regular comedian._

_Never trust skinny boys._

Mac laughed. He didn't know if it was exhaustion, hypoxia, or if something just snapped but he couldn't stop laughing.

"Uh...Mac? You ok the ol' son?" Mac coughed and nodded.

"Yeah, sorry."

"What did our little Cafeteria chorus say?"

"Nevermind. Ok, Hiro start the motor." The motor was a small electric motor Cody had changed over to battery. Mac could hear the clacking of a wheel turning. They could all hear a long sucking noise. There was another explosion, an almighty grinding noise, and they were tumbling end over end in the wash of the explosion.

"Cody!"

"Got it." There was a hissing noise, clacking, then they were shooting forward angling up the cylinder on its side. Mac cried out in pain as he fought to his knees. All of the passengers rearranged themselves until they sat along the curved wall of the chamber. Mac leaned over and puked, thankfully nothing came out. His belly was killing him.

"Hey easy buddy." Jack helped him turn right side up. Mac slumped to the side only partly surprised to find himself leaning against Jack.

"Ok, everybody got the idea?" Mac gasped.

"I see why you wanted everything welded down." Dr. Wan said.

"I can't see anything but mud and silt...what if we run into something?" Hiro's voice had a note of breathy fear.

"With the...force of the explosion and trajectory...we should clear the city…" Mac had to pause to suck in air. His head felt full and his belly was going to explode. He couldn't hold back a groan of pain. The engine clacked again and they shot forward.

"How are you doing that?" Jack asked. Mac reached out and dug his fingers into the still wet shirt his partner wore. Jack was starting to shiver.

"It's a...air pump...like Octopus…" Mac closed his eyes and laid his head on Jack's shoulder.

"It's kind of like a piston in a car, only a lot slower." Hiro explained. Mac nodded but didn't have any energy left to offer anything else.

"And Pan?"

"It's the most important part, it acts like the pressure valve opening-" Mac let out a shallow breath. The darkness vanished into a darker void.

Jack frowned down at his partner. By feel he put his fingers under Mac's chin. The kid's pulse was fluttery and weak, but still there. Jack tried to squint at the others in their impromptu emergency capsule. The dim light from the Pod was gone. No more explosions had rattled the blackness around them. Jack felt a hand grab his on his other side. He squeezed it. It was one of the lunch ladies, Jack didn't know which one.

"We have to conserve oxygen. I only found three packs. It should last to the surface but will get pretty thin." Cody sounded petrified. Jack couldn't blame the kid. He was pretty terrified himself. They were 8 people in a contraption that reminded Jack of the vacuum containers they used at the bank held together by spit and glue inch worming their way, hopefully, to the surface. Jack pulled Mac closer. At least they were together. He was tossed up as to whether he'd want to suffocate, drown, or get shrivelled in like a crushed can but all three were very real possibilities. What a fucked up vacation.


	17. Chapter 17

Jack gasped and sat up clutching his throat. He was suffocating. He tried to gasp in air, but there wasn't any. He shook his head. Everything was fuzzy, he was laying on top of a pile of bodies in a cylinder of glass and metal. It came back in a lightning bolt.

They were bobbing at the top of the ocean. They made it! And they were suffocating. Jack crawled across legs to the bottom of the decompression chamber. Everything wobbled. He forced his heavy limbs to keep moving. He clumsily dug at the rubber around the porthole. He leaned forward when a tiny wisp of wind brushed his face. It woke him up. He took in the plate and the motor attached to it. He pushed the handle. Nothing. He tried to wriggle it back and forth. Nothing. He glanced over his shoulder. The others looked bad, Mac-he looked dead. No, nope, not gonna happen. Jack gritted his teeth and ducked his shoulder under the motor.

"It...isn't...hap...pening ...this...WAY!" Jack grunted as he heard a thud and the motor tipped out the bottom of the jar shaped boat and disappeared into the waves. Jack slumped rubbing his shoulder. A nasty bruise was already building. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of salty air. Then he got a facefull of water spray. He wiped off his face and studied their situation. The glass above the unconscious group was thick with fog. It was clearing as he picked his way back over legs to Mac. Their makeshift craft rose and dove with the waves. Jack flopped across the three lunch ladies in a particularly deep dive.

"Hmm."

"Niice."

"Seeeexy."

Jack could feel his sweaty skin pinken.

"Excuse me, ladies." He said as he scooted across them as quickly as he could. He jumped when a hand smacked his ass. Jack shot Lulu a dirty glare. She batted her lashes at him.

"Soon, Sexy, soon." Jack grimaced. He didn't know what Mac set him up for, but Jack was gonna have to come back with something really devious. All of that vanished from his mind as he reached Mac's side. Mac's face was almost grey. A stray strand of blood dangled out of the left side of his mouth. He laid on his side one arm awkwardly twisted under him. A black bruise circled his entire chest, darker on his down facing right side. Internal bleeding. Not goot. Jack crouched beside him and fell over as the movement caused their craft to spin.

"Ah!"

"Wha-"

"Stop."

Jack ignored the three ladies and slid around until he was behind Mac. He supported Mac's head then gently rolled Mac towards him. Jack looked up surprised when he had three helpers on the other side.

"Skinny, not look good." Lulu said sadness in her eyes. She turned to the others and rattled off something in Chinese. The other two, Jack really had to figure out their names, spread Mac out. Lulu looked over at Jack.

"Out of it, Sexy."

"What?"

"The shirt." Jack nodded. He pulled it over his head and handed it to Lulu. Lulu and her two friends eyed him then muttered commentary in Mandarin. Jack took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. Let them look, he was a nice cut of steak-if he said so himself. The trio broke into giggles then bent over Mac. Jack turned to his other side. Cody, Hiro, and Dr. Wan were coming around. He slid Mac's head onto his lap. Lulu ripped up the black T-shirt and the three ladies wrapped the strips around Mac's chest. Mac moaned and moved to push LuLu away. Before Jack could capture his hand, the cafeteria cook took it in hers. She leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead as she brushed his hair back.

"Easy, Skinny, you good." Jack smiled at her grandmotherly tone. Mac could bring it out in anybody. Lulu looked up at Jack.

"He no look like you."

"No."

"He son, right?" Lulu looked confused. Jack put a hand on her shoulder.

"In all the ways that matter, Lulu." Lulu licked her lips and her eyes travelled down his arm to his chest from his chest down-Jack pulled his arm back like he'd been bitten.

"Lulu! Seriously?" Lulu nodded and waggled her eyebrows at Jack. Jack blushed and laughed at the same time. He looked down at Mac who was slowly coming around.

"Brother what have you gotten me into?" Mac blinked up at him confused while the other pair tittered back and forth.

"Jack?" Mac's voice was a faint wheeze. He held his side, went an ugly shade of green then jackknifed to the side heaving. A dark green, black dribbled out. Jack met Lulu's gaze.

"Not good." She said.

"No, it isn't." Jack murmured. Mac heaved twice more without anything coming up. He slumped limp.

"Mnatukn." He mumbled.

"What?" LuLu asked.

"He said he hates puking." Jack translated. Lulu raised an eyebrow.

"I speak Mac." Lulu said something to her friends and they all tilted their heads and said "AWWWW." Jack rolled his eyes. He turned back to Mac. The blonde's eyes wondered before they bounced up to Jack, then away. He moaned and pushed against the bottom of their ship. It caused more rocking. Mac collapsed down his gut inverting again. Jack winced and rubbed Mac's back.

"Ease on back, brother, there's not much we can do." Mac closed his eyes. Breathing hard his body went limp.

"Ouch." The blonde murmured. Jack smiled.

"No shit. You did it though, we're at the top of the ocean." Jack looked out at the bobbing ocean. It was already hot inside the capsule. It was going to get much worse. The sun was only a little over the eastern horizon.

"Can we use the motor to signal-nevermind." Cody said when he took in the open hole at the bottom of the ship.

"We were suffocating." Jack said a little defensively.

"Opnor." Mac mumbled. His eyes flickered but he didn't have the strength to open them.

"What Skinny say?"

"He said to open the door?" Jack shot a questioning look to Cody who frowned.

"Door, what door? Why?"

"Son of a bitch." Hiro moaned as she opened her eyes. Blood poured down her face from her head wound.

"You 'live down there, sista?" Lulu asked. Hiro waved a hand. She breathed deep for a few minutes then sat up. She turned to Dr. Wan who hadn't moved. She put a hand to the doc's throat. She turned alarmed back to Jack.

"He's dead."

"What?"

"Oh no."

Jack rubbed his face.

"OK, everybody calm down! Panicking isn't going to help!" His voice snapped loud in the tight container. Everyone quieted and looked toward him.

"Mac said to open the door. Any suggestions?" Hiro felt the floor beneath them.

"It is under us."

"We'd have to roll the...ship, I guess, all the way around." Cody said. Jack bit his lip as he studied the situation.

"Alright, everyone against this side here." The cylinder bobbed wildly as they all moved their backs to the other side of the ship. Mac puked with the movement. Jack held him and fought not to join his partner. When he and Mac settled beside the others the ship tilted.

"Ok," Jack said tucking Mac into his side and holding him tight, "Now inch back...together, like a family of crabs." As they moved the ship shifted. They kept inching backwards until backwards became the bottom of the boat. They stopped collapsing with exhaustion. Rivulets of sweat ran down Jack's bare skin. He closed his eyes as the ship rocked violently.

"Ok, let me...at that...hatch." Cody stumbled toward the middle of the ship. Jack groaned and leaned back. Every movement made the bobbing and twisting worse. He opened one eye and glanced over at Mac. The pale blonde was out. Lucky him.

"Just...a...and voila!" Cody grinned at them as he snapped the door open and shoved it until it slammed into the side. The added weight swung them lower. Jack now looked directly up into the open area with his feet leaning high over his head. He grunted as he rolled over to his knees. Mac curled into a ball and groaned loudly.

"Right there with ya, bro." Jack said gritting his teeth to keep himself from ralphing.

"Door's open, now what?" Cody asked as he sat cross legged facing Jack.

"I don't know. Any ideas? Ladies?" The three cafeteria ladies sprawled.

"Now we get tan!" The lady closest to the open window grinned. Jack couldn't help but grin back.

"Don't be stupid, Ne Ne." The middle one snapped as she slapped NeNe across the arm."

"I'm not stupid, LuLi." The two broke off into rapid fire Chinese. LuLu, NeNe, and LuLi. Jack shook his head. He was really starting to like these three.

"We have to get rid of Dr. Wan's body." Jack leaned past Cody and studied Hiro. The woman did not look good. Jack thought of everything she'd lost.

"Why?" He asked. His voice was somber. He knew how hard such a decision would be for the small woman. Hiro looked at him and stiffened her spine.

"The scent of blood will draw sharks." Everyone gulped and turned to look at the miles of ocean sloshing around them.

"If we throw it into the water, won't it draw more?" Cody asked carefully avoiding looking at the corpse. Both looked at Jack. Jack scowled not entirely comfortable with being the Captain Kirk of this Enterprise. He studied the body. If they had something to weigh the body with it would lead sharks away, but fresh bodies floated and they had no motor.

"We'll keep him aboard for now." Jack wrinkled his nose. It was already hot; being in a confined space with a bloating corpse was not his idea of a good time. Jack mentally tried to weigh their odds of a shark attack. Could they survive an attack? Jack felt sick.

"Dump body...high noon." Jack turned elated to see Mac slowly roll onto his back. Mac hissed and covered his eyes. Jack bent and helped him.

"I need a strip of cloth." Jack said. LuLi tore her apron off and handed it to Jack. Jack pulled Mac's SAK out and cut a long strip. Mac moaned and covered his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Here, Gilligan." Mac sighed as Jack covered his eyes with the coarse material. He laid back and took several long breaths.

"I'm not Gilligan." Jack chuckled as he turned and laid back beside Mac.

"Well you sure aren't the Skipper."

"I'm Ginger!" LuLu announced.

"No, you Maryann, I'm Ginger." NeNe snapped.

"You are not." LuLu growled.

"I'm Maryann, Lulu is Ginger." LuLi said.

"What about me?"

"Mrs. Howel." LuLu and LuLi laughed as NeNe broke off into a long tirade of Mandarin. Jack shook his head and turned back to Mac. He didn't like the smug smile on the younger man's face. Before he could demand Mac tell him what he promised the ladies for LuLu's pan, Cody was speaking.

"Why high noon, Mac?" Mac turned his head.

"Sharks are most active at dawn or evening."

"And are night hunters." Hiro added. Mac nodded. Jack frowned at the hot sun.

"It's gonna get hot up in here, and we don't have any water." Jack said softly.

"We use water...cool." NeNe said motioning with her apron towards the water that sloshed into the makeshift boat.

"That won't work, darlin'." Jack said apologetically.

"The salt will dehydrate us quicker than the sun." Mac murmured. He frowned a long minute, "We need to filter it...and we need some sort of a sun shade. Do all of you have aprons?" Mac asked.

It took until late morning to set it up. Mac coached Cody and Hero. They made a triple filtration system using Dr. Wan's stethoscope, an apron, a large chunk of rubber from the flooring, and the curved open door as a storage tank. It was warm, but they had water siphoning from the waves and into the curved door. The ship tilted down in that direction leaving the open door facing more to the side than in direct sunlight. Jack rigged the remaining aprons together into a sail/ shade and tied it over the cylindrical ship. It puffed with wind and they started moving east. Jack looked around him in all directions as he balanced on the lip of the door. He wouldn't be able to tell where they were until dark.

Jack dropped back to Mac's side, a cup of water made from the rubber flooring in his hand. Mac grimaced at the taste but drank it anyway. Jack and Cody took turns hopping up to refill the cup until the whole crew had their fill. Jack laid out beside Mac. The heat was unbelievable. Jack already felt charbroiled. He could only imagine how miserable his partner felt.

"Might as well get some rest, it's gonna be a hot one." He said. Everyone nodded and tucked into comfortable positions. Jack smirked over at Mac.

"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale…"

"Jack!"

"A tale of a fateful trip-"

"Jack! Shut up!" Jack laughed.

"That started from this tropical port," Jack turned surprised when LuLu picked up the jingle.

"Three hour tour!" NeNe and LuLi added. They smiled and sang it again. Jack grinned and joined the chorus. He was surprised to hear Hiro and Cody repeat the chorus. Mac moaned.

"I hate you. I hate you all."

"Shut up, Gilligan."


	18. Chapter 18

Jack wondered if a human could melt. He wiped his wet forehead. If they weren't in the middle of the ocean he'd worry about spontaneous combustion. Jack yawned and looked at his companions. They were all down to their underwear except Mac. As he was kidnapped from the shower, he had nothing but his birthday suit under the remains of his scuba suit. Mac had taken the white coat from Dr. Wan before they tossed him in the drink more than an hour ago. He'd attacked it with his knife and was now in a Ghandi-sort of thing he called a dhoti. Jack thought it looked like an oversized diaper.

The three lunch ladies who Jack had taken to thinking of as the Troublemaking Trio sat in a knot softly talking to each other in Mandarin. Jack thought he heard the word for steak. They'd look over at him, giggle then go back to their conversation. If Jack was a little more paranoid, he'd think they were planning to gut him for a meal and were arguing over the recipe.

Cody was balanced on the top of the cylinder trying to net fish with something he and Mac rigged from the mesh they pulled out of Mac's diving suit remnant. Their clothes were stretched out along the top of the ship, blocking some of the sun. Mac told Jack that the still ocean around them collects the heat then reflects it back at them and the curved glass or whatever was like a magnifying glass for the sun. Mac babbled a whole bunch of other stuff, but the gist of it was they were ants being fried by the sun.

Ironically, at night, it will get as cold as a desert night. Jack glanced at Mac. His partner slept curled up in the shadows closest to the waves splashing against the craft. Jack made sure he was in the most shade he could make. Hiro was likewise sprawled farther along the side of the cylinder. She lay perfectly still with her eyes open wide staring at nothing. Jack had cleaned and bandaged her head wound and one of the Trio had braided her hair back. She looked pale and waxy. Shock. Jack sighed and sat up pulling his knees to his chest. One thing was sure, they all stank.

Jack studied Mac. The kid had left his blind fold on. He agreed with Jack that the cobalt lazer had burned his eyes, and most of his exposed skin, when it exploded. Mac didn't think it was permanent. Jack hoped not. The red and peeling skin hid some of the yellow of the healing bruises, but enhanced the darker purple black areas and stitches that criss-crossed Mac's hide. Jack gritted his teeth and stared out at the empty horizon around them. He had no idea how long they could last. The ocean was a big place. Even with Phoenix looking, it was still a snowball's chance in hell they would happen upon the tiny bobbing craft. There wasn't another soul for miles. The ocean slapping against the glass, their breathing, conversations...and silence. Long hot silence. Jack wished he could get up and pace. He'd tried to sleep, but there was only a long sunny area for him to stretch out in and he refused to move Mac or Hiro from the cooler parts of their ship. Not that it would matter in the long run.

Jack yawned and leaned back. He put his hands behind his head and stared up at his shorts. He wished he could have worn his full jeans under the suit when he went to get Mac, but there was no way. He'd had to cut them short, real short. They looked like something even Riley wouldn't wear. Definitely wouldn't help with the cold that would come with sundown.

Jack closed his eyes and let himself breath deeply taking in the comforting rhythm of the bobbing waves. He thought about the Pod. What a tragedy. How many super cool things were they working on that are now lost? And the sheer talent. Jack gritted his teeth. The fake nuke stuff was probably a cover for the destruction of the Pod. Putting it near a volcano opening like they did they-whoever they were-were already planning a story about an accident or something to explain the loss of the facility. Jack frowned. Who were they? Most of the navy SEALs were legit, but then there was the guy who knew who Mac was. CIA? One of the other I's? Jack felt a churning in his gut. He hated agency politics.

It would make sense that the American government would want the Pod closed. While overtly making gestures of international cooperation with China making and staffing the Pod, the government would have been trying to steal as many details of as many projects as they could lay their beady little eyes on. Ditto for the Chinese. Jack was surprised the two countries worked together enough to build such an impressive think tank.

Jack huffed. It would also make sense that he was able to get Mac and him in at the last minute. Whichever agency would know who Mac was, what he was capable of and what he could do to help the work along. Jack had played right into their hands. Jack sat up and rubbed sweat out of his eyes. All this and he'd just wanted to give his brother a place to relax and work through his issues. Great job, Dalton! If they somehow managed to get rescued, Matty was going to kill him-after the appropriate 'I told you so's of course.

Jack itched his chin. He was well on the way to having a full beard. Then there are the Chinese. They'd have to be a little more than pissed about having their greatest 21st century achievement blown up. Supposedly the Pod was in international waters, but they were the same waters China was disputing as their own. They could use this as provocation to take over the area as their own. And what if they came across the survivors? Jack grimaced as he glanced at Mac. He really did not want to end his vacation in a Chinese prison or killed for enemy espionage. This sucked.

Jack looked up at a yelp from Cody. He stood up and looked at the kid. Cody turned grinning. He had a flopping Tuna fish almost two feet long in his homemade net. Jack grinned.

"Sushi!" Cody yelled. Jack heard movement behind him as the three lunch ladies eyed the fish.

"Give here, we make good." Cody grinned and grabbed the fish. He thumped its head against the corner of the door then handed the dead creature to Ne Ne.

"Great job!" Jack gushed as he patted the young man on the back. Cody nimbly climbed back inside the ship. The entire cylinder see-sawed back and forth with the movement. Jack looked down wrinkling his nose as Mac again jackknifed and puked. Only a small trickle of mucus and water came out. Mac moaned, his hand over his bruised side. Jack had taken off the strips around his abdomen and gave them to the kid to use as a swab to clean up his mouth. Mac's right side was black with internal blood and bulged, the skin tight and hot to the touch. Pooling blood. He also hasn't been able to keep down much more than tiny sips of water. Mac moaned and slumped back.. Jack crouched beside him.

"You feel sick, huh?" Jack couldn't see it, but he could feel Mac gave him a half-lidded glare through the blindfold. Jack smiled and sat beside his partner.

"You 'k?" Mac's voice was tight and hoarse.

"Good enough. Hotter than hell." Mac nodded then winced. He moved his hand to the back of his head. Jack reached over to look. Mac blocked his hands.

"No, don't-it's ok." Jack opened his mouth to complain, "Please?" Jack frowned and leaned back.

"Not much I can do with it anyway. Concussion?"

"Not sure, but it hurts like hell."

"From the soldiers or your bar brawl." Mac's face scrunched up.

"I'm pretty sure both." Jack scowled. He licked his lips trying to think of a way to bring up his worries that started this whole mess. Mac reached over and patted Jack's arm with the back of his hand.

"Later…'k? When everyone's asleep."

"You promise?" Mac rolled onto his good side and made a positive sound that was not exactly a promise. Jack gritted his teeth and shook his head.

They may not have had much to work with but the Trio of Trouble performed a miracle and turned a dead fish into something not only edible, but pretty good. Jack licked his finger as he tore into the pile of fish curls they handed him.

"Ladies, that is fantastic!" The three giggled and looked at each other. They gave some to Cody who tried to get Hiro to eat. Hiro stared at the food then looked up at Cody with a venomous look that sent the kid ducking behind Jack. Mac was snoring softly. Jack finished his share of the tuna then stood up stretching. He crossed to Hiro and crouched in front of her. She looked up at him with eyes full of savagery. Oddly she still had some orange glitter clinging to her eyelashes.

"Hey, you ok, Hiro?" Jack used his calming horses voice. He reached out a hand only to have it slapped away.

"Worry about yourself." She snarled. Jack opened his mouth then shut it.

"You should eat something." He called over his shoulder. Jack slumped beside Mac and leaned back. He listened to the calm slap of water against the side of their makeshift boat and drifted off to sleep. Time blurred. The day peeled by slowly and painfully. Jack caught a small shark that wondered too close to inspect the tuna leftovers. They ate then night dawned. The stars spread over them like eternity. It was cold. The small group ended up in a pile trying to conserve heat. Even Hiro curled up on the edge of the group. The next two days passed the same. Mac slept most of the time. Jack tried to get him to drink, but he would just throw it back up. Mac started to mumble in his sleep then all the time.

The third night, Jack laid curled around his partner. Mac shivered and muttered. Jack frowned.

"...no...I didn'...please…" Jack reached over and brushed his hand through Mac's hair mumbling comforting things. Mac's teeth chattered and he calmed. Jack laid back and stared up at the milky way.

"I wish you were awake for this…" Jack whispered. He winced at the pain of a pull on the blisters raised by the sun on his mouth and face. Jack closed his eyes. Everything was getting blurry. He felt like he'd been floating forever. The Pod, LA...it all seemed like a fading dream.

Then dawn came at night. Jack stared at the yellow light refracting all around them.

"What the-?" He lifted his head. He raised a hand against the glare.

"Ahoy! Ahoy, the-what the hell is that thing?" Jack grinned and flopped back. Rescued finally. Yes! He laid back feeling stress slowly seep out of his shoulders.

"They found us, brother!" Mac snorted in his sleep.

"Jack! Jack!" Jack jumped as Hiro sidled to his side and grabbed his blistered shoulder.

"Hir-wha-"

"Jack, be careful, they aren't-" The whole craft rocked in the swell of the rising waves. Hiro looked up as a giant clamp flew into the craft. She met Jack's eyes. Her anger that had burned worse than the sun, was now terror.

"Jack, don't trust them. They aren't-" A loud grinding and twisting noise cut her off. Jack grunted and rose to a crouch. A Navy EPF Catamaran was cranking their tiny ship closer.

"Jack! Please-" Jack nodded at Hiro.

"I got it, Hiro. I believe you." Hiro leaned back and nodded. She turned and rattled off a long run of Chinese to the others. Jack only half-listened. He looked up into the ready weapons of a full squad of Navy SEALs. Jack gulped and raised his hands.

"So, how are you guys doing? Nice night for fishing, dontcha think?" Jack asked calmly.


	19. Chapter 19

Jack shivered under the thin blanket. He squirmed. Bugs nipped across his whole body. The Navy jumpsuit they had given him hurt, like sandpaper scraping every inch of his red-blistered skin. He fought a yawn and glanced at his watch. They'd been hauled aboard two hours ago. He'd given the Commander, a Neil Greyson, his name and info and Matty's contact. The Commander's face was totally impassive. Jack couldn't read him. The SEALs around them were a little easier to read. They were pissed, or had full on hatred and blood hunger in their eyes. They took Mac and Jack to the infirmary. Jack was slathered with burn cream; his long cut sewn up and given pain meds. Mac was taken into another med bay. Jack insisted on going with him; he'd been politely threatened and taken to a bunk room, given a blanket and told to wait. Jack sank onto one of the four bunks. He fought the urge to claw his peeling skin off. Skinned alive-he both felt like he had been flayed and he wanted to be. Everything was peeling. Jack growled and started to pace. Where was Mac? Where were the others?

His primary concern was Mac, but he thought of the brave Lulu and her frying pan, NeNe, Lilu, Cody and Hiro. Jack's skin twitched and it had nothing to do with his blistered sunburn. Jack scratched his longish beard. He needed to talk to the commander. Jack strode to the door and pulled the hatch open. An impassive SEAL with an M5 blocked his way. The soldier

"Is there any way I can talk to the commander?" The soldier narrowed his eyes. Jack raised an eyebrow unimpressed. He leaned forward.

"Please?" The SEAL took a step forward.

"We lost good men because of you." Jack frowned.

"I know." His voice carried sincere sorrow. The two men stood nose to nose. Jack put a hand on the soldier's shoulder the man twitched and half-raised a fist. Jack leaned in, "I am truly sorry for your squad, but something else is going on here-"

"The Chinese-"

"No, it ain' them. Look I was down there on that Pod thing. The CIA was there, they gave up your guys. They-"

"That'll do Lieutenant." The SEAL snapped back with the ingrained reflex of all soldiers. Jack fought to keep from doing the same thing, "Dismissed."

"Sir." The SEAL took a lingering second to raise his lip. Jack smiled and patted him on the arm.

"Good talk, Lieutenant." The SEALs spine stiffened as he shoulder checked Jack as he stalked past Jack in a military precise stomp. Jack smiled then turned to the commander. Neil Greyson eyed him with lupine grey eyes. They shone like the moon, even more than Mac's. It was disconcerting.

Grayson studied him a long minute then tilted his head. Jack thought about being a smart ass, but he could hear his Dad's voice telling him "Son, never miss a good opportunity to shut the hell up." Jack nodded and returned to the bunk room. He sat on the bed and fought off a yawn. He was exhausted. The commander stood over him with crossed arms, legs spread shoulder length apart. He was definitely in command, but Jack didn't feel threatened.

"Commander, I know you aren't going to believe me but-"

"My command is infiltrated, I know." Jack gaped at the man. The commander laughed and took off his cap. He brushed a sparse wisp of blond hair around his bald pate. He sank in the bunk opposite.

"Ok, your partner is doing well. They had to put in some sort of drain and sew up a rupture."

"Rupture?" Jack's voice quaked.

"Yeah, he's a tough little guy, I'll give you that. He was in recovery less than half an hour and already was making himself a pain in the ass. It's probably a good thing he couldn't see anyone, I think he'd have done some damage." Jack opened his mouth. The Commander waved a hand.

"They washed out his eyes and put some cream in them. That laser gave him welder's burn. It'll be fine as long as he keeps them covered. I guess he lost a big chunk of liver, but I'm told it'll grow back. He'll be up here in about an hour. In the meantime, I checked in with your _think tank_." Jack could hear the air quotes hang in the air between them. Jack sank back in relief. Neil laughed.

"That Matty sounds kinda scary." Jack nodded as he scratched his forehead. He winced and put his hand under his thigh to stop himself from itching.

"She's a puma in a wildcat with rabies."

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it. She seems to think highly of you and your partner-MacGyver?"

"Mac, yeah we normally kick ass," Jack sighed, "we were off our game this time. Hell of a vacation."

"Vacation? Ok I think the first thing is you tell me everything that happened…" Neil paused, a bemused smile playing on his lips, "...then you are going to tell me who the hell the three Chinese ladies are that are demanding to see''Sexy ``?'' Jack laughed.

"Well, make yourself comfortable, Neil. It's a weird one." Greyson stood up and paced as he listened. It was a weird story, but not a long one. Greyson raised an eyebrow, his disbelief plain.

"That kid made an engine out of...a _frying pan_?"

"And other stuff, yeah, that's what he does. You should see what he can do with a paperclip, duct tape and gum." Greyson opened his mouth to say something. A shout loud enough to be heard through the metal hatch stopped him.

"I said GET OFF!"

"Oh crap." Jack muttered. He pushed past Neil and whipped the door open. Mac wore a hospital gown. He was edging down the hall one hand on the wall. A clean white bandage circled his head and he held his side, two long grenade shaped plastic drains colored with blood knocked against each other with each step.

Mac was surrounded by medics in Navy jumpsuits trying to get him to calm down or at least sit down.

"Mac?" Mac froze and turned.

"Jack? Is that you?" Mac slumped against the wall. Only Jack heard the panic in the kid's voice. Mac reached out, his hand trembling. Jack approached slowly.

"Hey, brother, who else would it be?" Jack took Mac's hand. Mac let out a deep breath, his legs turned to water. Jack caught him and ducked under Mac's shoulder. The medics jumped forward.

"That's enough, thank you." Mac jumped at the commander's deep voice.

"It's ok, brother, he's on our side-I think." Jack murmured in his ear. Mac chuckled.

"That bad?"

"Situation normal."

"Where are the others?"

"Wait until we're alone." Mac nodded. Jack led him to the bunk. Mac reached out a hand behind him and groaned as he sat down. Jack pulled the covers off the upper bunk and wrapped them around the blonde. He sat beside Mac and kept an arm on the blonde's shoulder. The commander shut the door after the medics left.

"Ok, nice to meet you Mr. MacGyver." Mac opened his mouth, "Sorry, Mac, I've heard some interesting things about you." Mac tilted his head in Jack's direction.

"If he told you, I'd believe about a third of it."

"Even at a third, that's impressive. And we need you now." Mac nodded. He bit his lip in thought.

"How many do you trust?" He asked.

"I don't know who's the leader or-"

"There was a Sergeant down there." Jack interrupted. He stood up to pace. Mac's fingers dug into his leg. Jack winced and relaxed back down, "He knew who we were...or at least Mac. He was the one that shot Leonard. He was after something. Something he tortured and killed more than 40 people for." Commander Greyson frowned.

"That was Sergeant Holdwell, he's a good soldier-"

"Was." Jack said. He grimaced, "sorry." A cloud passed over the commander's face. He shook it aside.

"I know it got bad down there. None of the squad returned."

"No one did." Mac said tragedy in his voice.

"You did what you had to."  
"I'm sorry we killed so many good men." Mac said softly, "I don't think most of them knew what was really going on."

"Hell we don't know what's going on." Jack reminded his partner.

"What could Holdwell be after?" Greyson mused.

"The Pod was a treasure trove of cutting edge technology…" Mac sniffed and pulled the covers around him. He moved to rub his eyes. Jack absently slapped at his hands. Mac turned to him and Jack could feel the glare through the bandages.

"I think we have to concentrate on the here and now. Whoever was down there had no qualms about blowing the place up and had a plan to cover it up as a nuked volcano-"

"They aren't going to be shy about blowing us out of the water." Neil said.

"I'm kinda surprised they haven't already." Mac said. Jack shot him a worried glance. The guilt and self-hate that started this whole mess was back. Jack squeezed Mac's shoulder.

"They're waiting for something."

"Maybe they think we have this...whatever the hell they wanted." Greyson suggested.

"Or maybe they're waiting for reinforcements." Jack said standing up. He absently scratched his peeling cheek.

"And we don't know who we can trust on our own boat." Neil said.

"How many are aboard?"

"The full complement aboard is 65."

"We can't fight that many."

"And I don't like the idea of killing other SEALs." The three men were silent for a long minute. Mac sat up straight and smiled.

"How does the Navy feel about Buddha's Temptation?" The others stared at him.

"The what now?"


	20. Chapter 20

Mac groaned. Even in the blackness behind his bandages, sparks blew across his skull. He was pretty sure his brain was about to explode.

*No, Jack does not mind curvy women. I think he prefers them. Now let me finish the recipe, ok?:*Mac bit his lip. Cinnamon. What the hell was the word in Chinese? Mac's brow wrinkled with pain as he tried to dredge the word from his limited Mandarin. How was he supposed to tell the troublesome trio? It was bad enough he had to fight to get a word in edgewise with their constant questions about all things Jack. He rubbed his forehead then winced as a large blister popped.

"Ow! Dammit." He growled.

"Mac?" Mac jumped sucking in a surprised breath. His heart banged fast when a hand touched his shoulder, "Hey, bro, how's it going?" Mac managed a watery grin. He hated blindness. In his life with munitions he's had eye problems before, even been blinded. That didn't make the fear easier or ease the helplessness. Mac gulped and winced as a knife of pain screwed deep into his side. He pulled the heavy drains closer to him. By feel he could tell they probably needed emptying.

"How cooking class?"

"Do you know the Chinese word for cinnamon?"

"Roùguí?" Jack offered.

"AAH!"

"Sexy smart!"

"Sexy sweet!" The trio broke off in giggles. Mac winced as he tried to roll his eyes. Jack cleared his throat. Mac could feel the older man's face burn red.

*Got the recipe?*

"Yes, Skinny."

"Yum-yum knockout!" Mac was aware of movement and the chittering women were gone. Jack chuckled as he sat beside Mac.

"Those three are-"

"Yeah."

"You ever going to tell me what you signed me up for?" Mac smirked.

"When we get home." Mac's amusement vanished, "If we get home."

"Mac, we are going to get out of here. I talked to Matty. She's got the _Gerald Ford _coming out to us. We only have to hold out for a few hours. You know as many times as that carrier has bailed us out, I wonder exactly how Matty knows the Cap-"

"Jack!" Mac snapped. He rubbed his temples and gritted his teeth.

"Mac, are you-"

"Did you get what we need?" There was an awkward pause. Mac was relieved Jack let it go, for now. Mac felt Jack move and almost reached out to grab him. He curled his hand into a fist and plucked at the edge of his gown instead. They had found him some sweats and shower slippers, but nothing by way of a shirt. Mac pulled the pile of blankets closer. He winced when the scratchy blanket scoured across his blistered arms. He shivered. Rationally he knew why he felt chilled, but it felt like a sheet of fear chilling him just below his muscles.

He jumped at a loud rattling thump. Jack chuckled. Mac's eyes hurt as he tried to glare through cotton. He blindly felt along the cardboard box beside him then inched into the inside. He grinned

"Perfect. Good job, Jack. Come help me."

"Sure. This'll light them up, huh?" Mac groaned as he pulled out a lightbulb.

"I'm already blind, now puns too? "

"Sorry, bro."

"No you're not."

"No, I'm really not. So what are we doing with all this?" Mac ran his hand over the lightbulb. It was larger and thicker than a household bulb. Mac hoped it would work.

"Ok, tape?"

"Here ya go, electrical tape." Mac pulled off a small square by feel. He stuck it to the widest circumference of the glass dome. He held out his hand.

"Knife open to corkscrew." Jack pulled out the requested implement. Holding the knife feels wrong, like he was invading Mac's personal space-a weird idea since he never had a problem invading Mac's personal space before.

"Jack?"

"Sorry, here." He put it in Mac's hand. He leaned over the bulb and used the corkscrew to poke a hole in the bulb. He closed the knife and handed it back to Jack.

"Did you get the chemicals?"

"Yup, mixed them up with water." Mac smiled at the pride in Jack's voice.

"Ok, got the big syringe?" Jack rooted around in the box. He pulled out a 10cc syringe. Mac felt it.

"Perfect. Draw up a full syringe full of the solution then inject it into the lightbulb."

"Solution? What do you think this is chemistry class?" Jack huffed as he carefully followed Mac's instructions. He shuddered as he pulled out the needle. Even though it wasn't going to be used on him it still gave him the heebie jeebies. Jack jumped when Mac slapped his back.

"You ok there, big guy?" Jack glared at Mac's grin.

"Of course, geez." Mac laughed. Jack grumbled half-heartedly under his breath. Hearing Mac's laugh was worth anything to Jack. After the stuff they've been through...any laughter was a miracle. The liquid squished into the light bulb.

"Good." Mac took the light bulb and taped over the hole they'd made in it. He then wrapped it in aluminum foil. Mac set it aside, "Et voila! One smoke grenade." Mac said handing it to Jack. Jack nodded impressed as usual. Mac slumped forward a hand going to his side. He yawned. Jack frowned.

"It'll take awhile for our ladies to make up that shark soup stuff, I can finish these. Why don't you take a nap? After dinner things are gonna get...hectic." Mac opened his mouth to argue, but it morphed into a jaw cracking yawn. He nodded and leaned over. Jack put the box of supplies on his bunk. He turned and helped Mac lay down and pulled the blankets up. Mac sighed. Jack couldn't stop himself from brushing a finger through Mac's hair. It was turning a bright yellow from the sun. Mac slapped his hand. Jack smiled knowing he was getting his head silently razored off.

"Stop that!" Mac's voice would have been a whine if it wasn't so tired.

"Sure, kid." Mac growled and turned on his side suppressing a groan. Jack returned to his bunk and finished making the 20 or so lightbulbs into smoke bombs. After he set the box on the floor and laid down. Mac murmured in his sleep but calmed quickly. Jack smiled. He couldn't believe they had survived. He closed his eyes and joined his brother in sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**BOOM!**

Mac bolted upright, his heart pounding. He jerked his hands around him. Everything was dark-where was he?

"Jack? JACK!" Mac tried to suck in air, but he couldn't breathe. He forced his brain to work. Pod, ship, bad guys. Right. He heard the natter of several different types of guns. Mac took an unsteady breath and slid to the floor. The drains clunked to the metal planking beside him. He heard the Commander yell over the din, but he was too far away to make out any words. He thought he heard Jack then another loud explosion. Mac fell to all fours shaking with fear. If only he could see. He reached up and ripped the bandages off. He could see tiny stars of grey and that's it.

"Dammit!" He growled. Ok, think, think, think. He heard a flurry of movement and a press of frantic Mandarin surrounded him. Mac jumped and almost screamed when several hands touched him.

"Quiet skinny!"

"Sexy sent us to protect you."

"Wha-protect me?"

"Come on, Skinny." Mac found himself shoved to his feet and bustled out the door. Mac's heart pounded. He tripped over something, fell forward and comets of pain speared through his head.

"Watch step, skinny!" Mac gritted his teeth. Lulu huffed with frustration and pulled him forward. A familiar smell wafted to them.

"Wait-stop already!" Mac planted his feet and knelt. The three ladies crowded around him.

"What you problem?" NeNe growled.

"We save you!" Mac held up his hand.

"I know! Thank you, but do you smell that?" They sniffed and chirped back and forth arguing. Mac waved his hands, "Stop! Stop, please. That is thermite and close. Whatever it touches it melts, got it?"

"Go that way, melt?"

"Yes."

"Ok, no go that way." Mac breathed out.

"Good."

"Escape that way", Lulu pointed out. Again the three broke into a fast argument. Mac's head hurt. His eyes burned. Probably from the smoke bombs. He heard screams of pain behind them. He reached up and tugged on the closest apron he felt. They ignored him.

"Shut up!" Mac screeched.

"You ok, skinny?"

"He go crazy?"

"Could be, he hit on head."

"Guts in jars-"

"QUIET! Please." The three crouched beside him and managed to stay quiet a whole minute.

"Skinny?Wh-"

"Ok," Mac said talking to himself more than the others, "You gave the sailors the drugged stew?"

"Yes, many go night night." LuLi said proudly. The other two chuckled. Mac forced a smile on his face.

"Great job, ladies. Now how many are still on their feet?"

"About thirty?" Mac's heart sunk.

"You, ok, skinny?"

"Sit, you should sit."

"Not barf are you?"

"Poor skinny." Mac gently pushed aside their hands. He had a moment of regret for feeding Jack to the terrifying trio.

"I'm fine, really. Thank you. Where's sex-I mean Jack?"

"He, Chief, Hiro, Cody and ten others fight in cafeteria."

"Spill soup all over." Lulu sounded mournful. Mac nodded in commiseration. A thick smell came down the passage. The small group bent together coughing. Mac groaned and held his side. He fell against the wall. His mouth watered and he bent forward retching. Something came up that tasted terrible. Mac was glad he couldn't see.

"Poor skinny." A gentle hand rubbed his back. A cool rag wiped his face. Mac closed his eyes trying to not pass out. He heard a gentle motherly chorus of Mandarin. It would be so easy to go back and sleep- Mac shook his head and winced as spikes of pain crackled through his skull.

"Thanks, seriously thank you. I think Jack needs help." Mac found himself whispering. He realized it was because everything had gone silent. Had he gone deaf? He reached out a hand. A strong callused hand caught his. Another hand gently covered his mouth and he felt himself herded back the way they came. This couldn't be good. Mac tilted with dizziness the world wobbled all around him and he knew it wasn't the ship. There was a hushed conference in Mandarin and Mac was pushed backwards. He yelped then cried out in pain as he bounced on a bunk. He curled forward breathing through his mouth. Sweat beaded down his forehead and back, but he managed not to vomit again. It was a close thing. He realized that two of the ladies sat beside him and were cooing at him as they rubbed his back, wiped his face and offered support. Mac wished Jack was with him. Mac took a steadying breath.

"What's happening?" He whispered.

"Not good. Bad guys won." NeNe murmured from the door. Mac felt tears burn in his eyes. His mouth went dry. He slid from the bed onto his knees and crawled over to the door.

"Let me listen." There was a shuffle then Mac felt the corner of the door poke into his chin. He heard raised voices echo through the silent corridors.

"Where is it?" Mac recognized the voice. It was someone he'd heard on the Pod. He frowned. He heard Jack's sarcastic drawl then the too familiar sound of fists hitting flesh and a body hitting the floor.

"Jack." Mac whispered his heart trip hammering. NeNe squeezed his arm. Mac didn't know if it was to keep him in the room, comfort him, or comfort her. He patted her hand hoping he returned a little of all three. He heard a high pitched scream. Not Jack. Mac felt a wash of relief, then a wave of guilt followed it. If it wasn't Jack then who-?

"Stop hurting her, you bastard!" Cody screamed. Mac heard the slap of pain inflicted on flesh then the kid screamed. Mac's fists tightened until his nails carved tiny moons out of his palm. He forced his brain to work. Hiro...again. According to Jack, Hiro had taken the brunt of it when the SEALs or CIA were grilling them for information. They wanted something and thought Hiro was the best chance of getting whatever it is. Mac felt his gut drop. Did they have this all wrong? What if she had some secrets she had stolen for the Chinese and the CIA was trying to get it back? Could she have fooled he and Jack so badly? Mac shook his head wincing. That made no sense. She was imbedded in the Pod. She had free and open access to everything. If anything, she was probably there to protect China's secrets. Mac's mouth fell open. What if that was it? She'd caught someone trying to sell info to the Americans? Mac shivered. That had the feel of the truth.

"Is that all you can do? Beat up a tiny woman? What else do you expect from a SEAL!" Mac smiled. His partner was getting grumpy.

"What do you care about a Chink, Knuckledragger." Mac heard Jack grunt in pain. Mac closed his eyes and gritted his chin as images of the Colonel standing over Bozer-

"What we do, skinny?" Lulu asked, breaking through the terrible cascade of images. Mac turned and smiled.

"I think we should go help, Ja-sexy, don't you think?" The three leaned in and hugged him. Mac bit back a groan at the pain in his side, "Ok, ok, you can let go. Save that for Sexy, alright?"

"Our date." Mac could feel the three sharing knowing smiles and conspirotal looks. Mac bit his lip. So what were they going to do? He backed into the room and pulled the hatch shut. The three ladies scolded him and shooed him over to the bunk. He heard the swish then click of the door shutting and the lock clicking. They had a little time. Mac rubbed his forehead.

"You gave everyone in the cafeteria the stew?"

"Yes, knocked them out-boom all at once in ten minutes like you said." NeNe ruffled his hair. Her voice was filled with pride as if he was a toddler who finally took his first step. Mac rolled his eyes then winced as they flared into pain. He ignored the worried noises of the three ladies.

"Then what?"

"Others pissed, took out guns."

"More come in, then boom." Mac held up a hand.

"More came in? From where?"

"From melty place." Mac thought a minute. The boat had been boarded then the escape burned with thermite? That made-

"Shit." He muttered.

"Shit?"

"What shit?"

"Who shit?" Mac waved at the others ignoring their questions.

"They are going to sink us. They're waiting for a ride."

"Ride? We in middle of ocean." Mac nodded. He froze. It couldn't be the _Gerald Ford_ could it? The idea of facing the USA's biggest aircraft carrier almost turned his bowels to water. He licked his lips. Work the problem, he reminded himself. Matty and Jack wouldn't have told anyone except the Commander about the rescue coming their way. So there must be another craft out there, close. Probably a helicopter. They were going to sink the Navy catamaran whether they got what they wanted or not. Mac frowned. They why infiltrate the SEALs? Cold realization chilled him. It was the SEALs. They were working with the CIA. This was their mission-to destroy the Pod, then take out this ship sent out to rescue the survivors. But why? Mac thought about the militia he infiltrated. He bowed his head to his arms leaning over his knees. He felt like he stood among the Neo-nazis chanting horrible things. His hand twitched as he felt the steel in his hand-_the bang was louder than he remembered any gunshot being, then a slow motion spray arcing in their air-_Mac sniffed and pulled himself out of the memory.

"Skinny?"

"You live?"

"You no go crazy?" Mac managed a wan smile.

"No." Not yet, anyway. He silently said to himself. He flinched. Is it that simple? The cadre of dirty SEALs wanted to kill Chinese for the hell of it? They were exactly like the militia Mac had spent a month with. Sure they were funded by the CIA, some were probably recruited thinking they were under orders, but the rest? They just wanted to kill "Chinks." Mac hated even thinking that word. He thought of the magnificent city under the waves. It was made by a sophisticated civilization reaching its apex when only natives knew anything about the Americas. It was tragic. He hoped the city wasn't destroyed when the Pod went up. These guys would be absolutely certain they were being patriotic and doing what was right for the US's interests. Mac shook his head. How much has been lost in the world because of fear of outsiders? Mac let out a short breath. He felt a million years old.

"What we do, skinny?" Mac nodded. Focus, Angus. He chided himself. What did he have? Three plucky women and-? No, he had to have more than that. He crawled back to the bed.

"I need you to tell me what the floor plan of the boat is, and where all of the weapons, chemical storage, and foodstuffs are kept. Everything." Mac crossed his legs and tucked the drains into his waistband. He ignored the flames of pain in his chest and leaned forward his eyes closed as the three took turns speaking.


	21. Chapter 21

Jack grunted as he landed face first on the hard metal. His arms were tied behind his back and he had no way of bracing for the landing. He panted a minute letting the pain roll over him. As much as it galled a Delta to admit, these SEALs were badasses. He wished a few more had eaten the stew. The plan needed the bad guys to react but damn. Jack blinked blood out of his eyes and scanned the cafeteria.

The Commander had pulled out all the stops, playing up the survivors. They figured this would cause a reaction. Jack's eyes met the dead gaze of the Commander. He growled. He was so gonna kill these sons of bitches. Hiro screamed. Jack closed his eyes. She didn't have much left. Her screams were weak and had become wet. Jack smiled when he heard her spit and mumble out Chinese. He couldn't make up what she said, but it was definitely something not nice by how she said it. He winced at the slap of flesh then clump of body hitting the floor.

"What about you, little Chink?" Jack grimaced. Cody's turn. Jack knew there would be no resistance from the kid. These guys used psychological interrogation 101. Leave one untouched while you pounded on the others. Jack could hear the kid whimper and smelled the sharp stink of urine. Cody let out a keening wail of desperation. Jack scowled and closed his eyes. He pulled at the ties on his arms. He couldn't feel his hands anymore. They had tied him at his forearms, elbows and wrists. Jack gritted his teeth. He winced at the first scream from Cody. Whatever these dudes were after, Jack doubted Cody knew anything about it. Hiro was a professional, she wouldn't have risked it. Jack had no idea what it was or why these SEALs wanted it so bad. Honestly, he didn't care. He wanted to get his boy, Cody, Hiro, and his favorite trio of cafeteria ladies off this boat and safe. He couldn't see his watch. The carrier had to be getting close by now. Jack glanced at the blood stained white table cloths. He felt a knot of hatred in his gut. These SEALs had killed their sleeping comrades. Jack and Mac didn't think they'd go so far. Jack should have known. He kicked himself.

"Hsst." Jack frowned and moving slowly so the soldiers wouldn't notice. Jack turned his head. His eyes widened in surprise. Dressed in the Navy blue and black working uniform, cap at a jaunty angle, Lulu peeked out from the folds of the white table cloth diagonally from him. She held a bucket beside her. Jack thought he saw steam rising from it. Lulu waved at him. Jack gave her a confused look. She rolled her eyes. She moved her hands slowly. Jack nodded. Lulu wanted him to slither back to the table behind him. Jack glanced at the ring of soldiers around him. They were busy laughing with each other and insulting Cody. Jack hated the sour taste in his mouth. Jack moved slowly. When he thought someone was looking at him he flopped limp to the floor, eyes closed.

Jack gulped back a yelp as something brushed his bare arm. He let out a long silent breath when he realized it was a tablecloth. He felt movement around his arm and the zip ties fell aside. Jack let out a relieved breath and started to pump his fists. His hand boiled with pins and needles. A body skinnied closer.

"Sexy, cover eyes. Wait for bird, whoosh then splat then kick ass." NeNe sounded entirely too happy. Jack smiled as he took a soft cloth from her. He had no idea what they were up to, but he knew who was behind it all. He felt the table cloth move as she moved to Hiro. Jack scanned the dining room. He mentally mapped the position of every soldier. His eyes alighted on the box of unused smoke bombs. There were a couple of dudes between him and it. He heard the whoop of a Loon. Jack smiled and covered his eyes. He caught of glimpse of Hiro lunging up and grabbing Cody. Jack covered his face and tucked his head into the crook of his arm. Jack heard movement from Lulu then a loud pop. Jack felt drops splatter him. He winced as they stung his bare arm.

"What the he-AAAHH!" The entire group around him screamed in pain. Jack then heard the whoosh of a fire extinguisher and the screams spread. He heard a massive WHOOSH then the sound of water running down. Jack pushed himself to his feet. He winced at the chemicals still hanging in the air. He threw off the cloth and leaned forward to sock the closest person who wasn't one of his own in the face. He kneed the guy. The man had been caught unprepared. His eyes had blood running out of them. When the man bent over, Jack locked in the hold raised up then dropped down snapping his neck. Jack bent and snatched up his pistol. Sig Sauer. It'll do. Snap aiming, Jack took out 7 wounded 5 then moved. He tripped on the wet floor and landed on his knees. A giant soldier grabbed him by the front of his shirt. Jack tried to break his grip, but the meaty ham held him firm as the giant raised Jack. Jack closed his eyes and forced his body to relax. He had time to think, "This was going to suck so bad." Before he was body slammed onto the floor. The world bobbed and wriggled demanded to disappear, but Jack held on. He shook his head and managed to kick the man as the giant had Jack raised half way up again. It didn't slow the man. Jack resigned himself to having his back broken when he heard a familiar shout.

"Let Sexy go!" Lulu let out a loud war cry. Jack blinked and looked up wide-eyed as the small woman jumped onto the table and launched herself at the giant. She held the bucket in her hands. She slammed it down on the man's head. He roared and dropped Jack. Jack groaned stunned. He cried out when Lulu landed on top of him. When he could breathe again he opened his eyes to see Lulu studying him from an inch away.

"Sexy ok?" Jack managed a nod. He looked up to see the huge

SEAL swinging in the air. Jack shooed Lulu behind him and crouched. He snatched up the Sig again and jumped up banging the bucket with all the strength he had. It bonged and the giant fell to his knees. He tried to pull off the bucket, before he could. Jack pivoted and hit the man with a spinning front kick. The man grunted then collapsed on the floor. Lulu screamed again then pushed past jack and started kicking the bucket. Jack shook the cobwebs out of his head and spun.

Three guys, well trained. Jack winced as a boot clicked his teeth together. Luckily he missed getting his tongue cut off. He fell back against the table blood running from his mouth and the room spinning. He dimly felt a solid blow to his middle then another on the side of his head. Jack hit the floor again. He groaned and slid back under the table behind him. It protected him from a kick. He kicked out. He heard a click in the guy's knee. Jack growled and hit it harder. Jack heard a loud cry of pain and the man crumpled. Jack smiled and slammed his boot into the face. His enemy didn't get back up, but one of his friends snagged Jack's leg. Jack rolled with the twist protecting his leg from breaking. With his other foot he bent his knee and pushed it behind the guy's leg. Jack kicked back and brought the man down. Jack snagged his head and locked the hold. Jack twisted and pushed. With the sound of a cracking knuckle the kid went limp. Jack shoved the corpse aside and looked for the-

Something wrapped around his throat. Jack rose to his knees and threw himself backwards. The noose tightened. Jack felt the world blackening. He slammed his elbow back and heard a loud exhale. Jack repeated the maneuver. The man rolled. Jack was pulled under the man his arms trapped under him. Shit. The man pulled back. Jack could feel the cartilage in his throat stretching. He figured it wouldn't be long before it crumbles. Suddenly the man dropped Jack. Jack flopped to his side gagging. He shook his head and looked up. His eyes widened.

"No. NO!" The tall man that had strangled him was fighting someone on his back strangling him. Through the growing smoke and chemical haze, Jack knew the form immediately. Mac. The pale blonde tugged back on...NO. Jack pushed to his knees and swung a fist full force into the man's throat. The man's eyes opened in surprise then he fell forward dead. Mac rode the man down and laid there gasping.

"Mac! MAC!" Jack rolled Mac over and pulled up his gown. Mac had pulled the drains out of his side and had used that strangle the man.

"You stupid son of-" Mac moaned and reached up a hand. It shook and felt cold.

"Your welcome." Mac's voice was weak. He kept his eyes closed. They were red and swollen. Jack winced. He glanced around him. The floor was slick with blood. Most of the guys were down. Hiro leaned against the sink and was calmly shooting at her tormentors. NeNe bent over Cody. Lulu was still kicking the giant in the bucket.

"Where's Luli?" Jack rasped. Mac pointed back toward the door. LuLi tossed smoke bombs at their enemies. Glass and chemical spewed everywhere. LuLi jumped up and down clapping. She dug out another and tossed it with a joyful squeal.

"I would not these three pissed off at me." Jack commented. Mac nodded. Jack heard the ratchet of a shotgun. He jumped over Mac protecting the blonde hoping the buckshot wouldn't go through him. He closed his eyes and braced. Aloud stomping surrounded him. There was a thump boom and a body slapped into the ground in front of him. Jack looked up. It was the Lieutenant. Jack panned up to a group of Navy seamen. He heard popping and screams. Everything was spinning.

"Agent Dalton? Can you hear me?" The sound echoed down a lengthening black tunnel.

"Mac-"He managed before the tunnel collapsed into darkness

Jack groaned as the tunnel lightened. Pain came with the world. He felt like a melting french fry. Jack frowned. Was that even a thing? He sniffed. The chemical smell was gone, that's good. He was laying on something soft, also good. His skin felt charred, his throat still had giant fingers crushing it, his head pounded, and his chest and abdomen felt caved in.

"Jack, you awake?" Jack forced his eyelids open.

"Mac?" His voice was little more than a harsh rasp.

"Yeah." Mac's voice sounded flat, dead. Jack slowly turned his head following the voice. Mac laid across the narrow room in a bottom bunk. His side was covered with a thick bandage which was showing blood coming through. He had a dressing over his eyes and an ice bag on top of that. IV fluids poured into both of them, but Mac's IV tree had extra bags. Blood and antibiotics. Mac's bare chest and face were pale with a yellow tinge. Jack didn't think these were left from the kid's bar brawl. Was that only...a week ago? Mac's arms were peeling but still reddened. Mac's twisted a paperclip. Jack couldn't see any shape.

"How do you feel?" Mac asked.

"I feel about how you look." Mac offered a microscopic smile.

"It's worse than it looks, I'm told." Jack rolled over hissing in pain. The matter of fact way Mac admitted to feeling horrible was more worrying than the blood trickling out of his side.

"Don't try to get up, Jack. They gave you muscle relaxants, you'd fall and I can't pick you up." The guilt in Mac's voice was heavier than the comment deserved. Jack laid back. Truth be told, he didn't think he could roll out of bed let alone stand up.

"Pulled muscles, huh?"

"No, muscle cramps. Your potassium was low. You were dehydrated and-" Mac's chest hitched. He dropped the paperclips on his chest and turned away.

"Mac? What's up?"

"I'm just tired." Mac sounded tired. Tired like he was holding the whole world on his shoulders.

"I know that, what else?" Mac let out a frustrated sigh.

"My eyes are burned and swollen, they took part of my liver, and...I'm fine, Jack."

"Should I pretend I'm buying that?" Mac waved a hand that said he was hoping so. A drawn out pause hung between them. Jack yawned. He rubbed his face and winced. His face was itchy and peeling. He fought the urge to pick it. Mac was laying still. He was deep breathing slowly. Jack smiled.

"You know I ain' falling for that, right? I faked sleep long before you were a glint in your daddy's eye." Mac grimaced.

"Did you get that from a Western?"

"Actually yes, but don't change the subject."

"We had a subject?" Jack huffed and laid back down. Might as well get comfortable; this was going to take awhile.

"Yes, you!"

"Boring topic." Jack frowned.

"C'mon, Mac, you promised you'd spill." Mac flinched and licked his lips. He took a short breath and snorted it out. Jack smiled. This was Mac's "fine, if it'll shut you up" breath. Mac's Adam's apple bobbed enough to make Jack's throat hurt more.

"I killed someone." Mac blurted in a soft voice. Jack raised his eyebrows. Whatever he expected it wasn't that.

"Aw kid, I'm sorry-"

"It isn't that I killed the guy but…"Mac sniffed. In the long pause that followed Jack bit his lip trying to think about how to approach. Mac had killed once before, with a gun. It had torn him up, but he eventually made peace with it-sort of. Mac never carried a gun again and went out of the way to not kill or even hurt anyone. It drove Jack nuts.

Jack winced as memories of killing the SEALs floated across his brain. He felt a knife twist deep inside. He hated it, more than anything he ever faced before. Most of those guys were doing their duty, or thought they were. They were good men, and he'd killed them. Oh, God. Jack sniffed surprised to feel tears wash down his face.

"It wasn't your fault." Mac said. Jack wiped his face and rolled his eyes. Of course Mac knew what he'd be thinking.

"I didn't see any one else killing them." Jack sighed, "They were just doing their jobs, or thought they were...And the Pod...This is all so fucked up." Jack let out a deep unsteady breath. Mac was back to twisting the paperclip. Jack was surprised to see it was turning into a gun. He narrowed his eyes. There was something more going on here.

"It's all hate." Mac's voice was barely a whisper.

"Yeah, I know. I understand the paranoia with the Chinese...but this...this was insanity." Mac gulped and nodded.

"All the guys that did this are dead. Hiro, Cody and our fearless cafeteria ladies are all in debrief." Smooth, Jack thought.

"I'm not surprised. We ever find out what the guys were looking for?" Mac shook his head and groaned. He put a hand on the melting ice pack. Jack tried to sit up, but couldn't. Damn it.

"Headache?"

"Eye ache."

"That's an official thing?"

"It's definitely a thing, official or not I have no idea." Jack yawned. His body craved sleep.

"Give me the deets, brother."

"I'm fine."

"Ok, you asked for it-_I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want, so tell me-" _Jack couldn't sing loud, but what he could he made sure was as off key as he could go.

"STOP! Please, no Spice Girls, especially bad Spice Girls." Mac grimaced rubbing his chest and side. Jack felt his worry grow.

"So?"

"Fine. My eyes are swollen and feel like the top layer was scraped off by sandpaper! I was gutted and fried, is that what you wanted to know?" Mac's voice was raised and hostile by the time he finished. Jack frowned.

"Well, ok then." Jack said just to say something. A thought occurred to him, " You pulled out your drains?" Mac groaned and brushed a hand over the bandage.

"Yeah, it's the only thing I could think of at the time."

"How did you know I was in trouble?"

"LuLi was beside me and told me everything that was going on."

"And your first thought was to strangle the guy? He was huge?" Mac offered a small smile.

"I never saw that. I heard you gurgling and knew you were being strangled. I pulled out the drains and hopped on." Mac shrugged a shoulder as if it wasn't totally badass.

"Thanks for the save, bro."

"Please, who came out in the ocean to get me?"

"We'll call it even. They took part of your liver?" Mac grimaced.

"Evidently it was swollen when they put the drains in, it was shrinking, but pulling the drains ruptured it and-"

"They chopped it up." Mac's nose wrinkled.

"Thanks, Jack, now I feel like a cut of meat." Jack laughed. He let the humor die. Back into the pit.

"How did you kill this guy?" Mac turned his head towards Jack. Jack could feel the puppy eyes begging him to leave it be. Jack was glad Mac's eyes were covered.

"It was on your mission, the one with the Nazis?"

"Yeah." Mac sniffed. Jack didn't know if he was crying or not.

_ Bozer's body hit the ground._

_ "Yay! See, the kid's got what it takes, kill the nigger, Son." Mac aimed the gun at Bozer. His hand didn't tremble but he knew his body shook with a rage he'd never felt before. Hatred? Mac looked up. The first bomb went off. The Colonel's eyes and his number two's widened. The Colonel shifted to disbelief. He tried to backhand Mac. Without taking his eyes off the nazi across from him, he ducked and struck out full force. He could feel the cartilage crunch and knew the Colonel was dead. He could feel blood ooze between his fingers on the gun. The second bomb went off. _

_ "I knew it, you son of a bitch." Mac's lips pulled back in a sneer. He raised the gun, sighted between the man's eyes. His heart pounded like a hundred jackboots. He heard the chants, the words. Mac was tainted, stained. He had become them. _

_ "You don't have the balls, niggerlo-" Mac squeezed the trigger. In frame by frame slow motion he saw the wide eyes, the surprisingly small hole, then the ark of blood and skull as the bullet exited. Another bomb went off. Militia members ran wildly around the dais, chickens who had lost their head. Mac closed his eyes. The gun was an anvil he couldn't hold anymore. His knees caved and he landed by Boze. He stared at his best friend, blood running down his chin. Blood he'd put there. Mac stared at Boze. It was easier to look at the damage he'd caused there then the corpse...the hatred...Now his hands shook. Hot air billowed his clothes. He looked around him. He was in the center of an inferno. All of the buildings were aflame. They weren't built well-little more than kindling covered with tar paper. Mac coughed at the black smoke._

_ He wanted to watch it burn. Feel the flames burn away everything-the hatred, the stain, the bodies...the guilt. Mac shook himself. He was having trouble breathing. If they didn't move the oxygen would be burnt off and they'd suffocate. Mac thought about it distantly as if he were in the lab watching a chemical reaction. His body lifted Bozer. He felt nothing; he was floating above and free from his body. He ran, Bozer slung over his shoulders. He ran blindly. He couldn't see through the churning fire. He pushed one leg forward after the other. Mac absorbed the pain; he deserved it. Mac didn't really know what happened until he was sitting at the bar and the person beside him said something that snapped the bubble of numbness. Mac screamed, grabbed the bottle of whiskey and slung it at the guy._

"Damn, dude." Mac hummed in response. Jack looked over at him his eyes soft, "You saved Bozer and yourself-I'd call that a win, even if it feels bad."

Mac slowly turned his head. His jaw was tight.

"I don't feel bad about killing the guy." Jack didn't like how dead Mac's voice was.

"Then?"

"I liked it, Jack. I wanted to kill him and I enjoyed it." Mac's voice vanished in a quiet gasp, "Jack, I'm as bad as they were."

"Mac, you stop it right there-"

"I need sleep." Mac shut it down. He cried out in pain as he rolled onto his good side, his back to Jack.

"You are nothing like them, Mac. Nothing." Jack said. Mac gave no indication he'd heard. Jack shook his head. He knew the kid had, he just hope he took it in. Jack wanted to get up and go over to his kid, but he was so tired…

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took two days for the _Gerald Ford_ to get close enough for the Phoenix pair to be airlifted to the foundation. Jack slept most of the time. By the time they were arriving to Phoenix medical, he felt pretty good. Mac was quiet. Jack wasn't surprised. He tried to break through, but ran into a stone wall of silence.

Jack refused to leave Mac's side, so they did debrief in the hall. Jack told Matty, Bozer, Riley, Doc Carl and Izzy what happened. Riley wrapped her arm around Jack's waist offering support.

"How awful." Izzy said. Jack had never seen her bottomless eyes so troubled.

"Hiro and Cody are on their way back to China-Cody says Mac is his new hero." Matty said. She shot the sleeping form in the room behind them a fond smile.

"And our plucky trio?" Jack frowned at the giggle that came from the others, "What?"

"You can ask them the next time you go to the caff." Matty said. Jack grinned.

"They're gonna stay?"

"They seemed to have bonded with Laura." Riley said. Jack felt his gut drop.

"You have your own fan club, Jack." Bozer said laughing. Jack closed his eyes.

"Matty, isn't this a human resource violat-"

"Too much for you to handle, Dalton?"

"Maatty!" The others laughed. Jack sighed.

"Sucks to be irresistible, doesn't it?" Riley teased. Jack grinned at her.

"Keeps me feel young."

"Well compared to their age-" Jack interrupted Boze with a finger pointed at his nose.

"Don't. That ain' polite." Boze opened his mouth to retort, but a groan from Mac turned them all around and into the room. Mac moaned and pushed at the air. His mouth moved, but nothing came out.

"A dream." Izzy said sadly. Jack frowned. He sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed Mac's hand from the air. He held it as he softly tapped Mac's cheek. Mac jerked awake, his chest heaving for air.

"Easy, kiddo, you're ok." Mac laid back letting out a long breath.

"Jack." He breathed. He squeezed Jack's hand. Jack looked up at the others who nodded and silently made their way out of the room. Only Bozer hung back.

"Hey, Bozer's here, he wants to talk to you." Boze stepped around to the other side of the bed.

"I'm sorry." Mac and Boze said at the same time.

"What? Why?" Again in perfect sync. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Boze, sit down. I need to go get a cup of coffee."

"I heard they brewed a new pot down in the cafeteria." Boze said grinning. Jack's smile waned, "I'll be back." Jack turned and left mumbling about making coffee in Matty's office.

"What was that?"

"Oh the Jack fan club meets in the caf now."

"The what?"

"Lulu, Luli, and NeNe work in the caf now." Mac laughed then grunted in pain. He held his side. Boze was up in a second.

"You ok? Do I have to get Sally? Izzy?" Mac shook his head.

"Boze...Boze! I'm fine. Calm down." Boze frowned and sat on the bed as if he would knock over a pyramid of crystal glasses if it moved. Mac sighed. He rubbed his forehead and pulled the soggy ice pack off his face. He moaned.

"Mac?"

"Ice cream headache-minus the ice cream."

"That sucks. I can get you some ice cream?"

"Sounds good, but later."

" 'K." An awkward silence fell between them.

"Boze-"

"Mac-" They said at the same time. Both leaned back chuckling. Mac waved a hand. Boze cleared his throat and took Mac's hand. He stared at his feet.

"Mac, I'm sorry, no don't interrupt. If I hadn't got caught, you wouldn't have had to hit me...and all the rest of it wouldn't have happened. This is all my fault." Mac's mouth flattened to a line.

"What did Jack tell you?" Bozer's eyes raised in surprise.

"What? Nothing, why is there-"

"No! No, it's fine. Boze I was never mad at you." Boze narrowed his eyes. Mac was covering up something. Bozer had quizzed Jack for three days. Jack told them the horror of the Pod, floating on the ocean, then the unexpected massacre on the Navy boat. Bozer could tell how torn up Jack was about it, he wore his heart on his sleeve, but Mac was something entirely different.

"Mac, what aren't you telling me?" Mac's mouth quirked up at the corners.

"Quite a lot, actually."

"You know what I mean! What's going on?" Mac licked his lips and turned away, as if Bozer could see his eyes. Boze hated the dressing hiding Mac's eyes. Anyone who knew Mac could read his pain, worries, and troubles in those deep blue- silvers.

"I...it...Boze, it doesn't matter. It's in the past. I'll be fine-eventually." Boze frowned. Mac kept going, "I'm sorry, pal. I shouldn't have left you thinking I was mad or upset...with you I mean. I was a bit off, but it wasn't because of you. Marching with Nazis-" Mac huffed.

"Yeah, that would mess me up too. Of course it isn't like they'd invite me into their homicidal little club." Mac laughed.

"True, you're definitely too short for those clothes." Once they stopped laughing. Mac held out a fist. Boze bumped it.

"Are we ok?" Boze asked. Mac smiled.

"What do you think?"

"AWWW, look at this here kissy-poo-poo up in here." Boze and Mac both jumped at Jack's loud introduction as he breezed into the room.

"I think I liked you better when you were strangled." Mac said through a smirk.

"Ha. Ha. Well, boys I worked the ladies and got some fresh donuts and coffee." Jack handed Boze his coffee. Mac hit the button to raise the bed up. He groaned as he situated himself. He laid back breathing through the waves of pain for a long second. The silence around him was filled with worry. Mac almost rolled his eyes. He remembered how much that hurt just in time.

"Since you, my dear friend, are a slob I managed to find you your own sippy cup." Jack caught Mac's hand and put a travelling cup in his hand. Mac scowled.

"This is iced coffee!"

"With whip cream, thank you very much." Mac shrugged and sipped the coffee. He laid back in bliss.

"The docs forbade anything hot until you can see again."

"They say when that'll be?" Boze asked shoving half a sugar donut in his mouth, "Damn this is good. They're still warm."

"Doc Carl says another week-"

"So what you're saying is-"

"Jack, no."

"Please?"

"-We'll see what happens." Both Boze and Mac groaned at the painful pun. Jack cackled.

"That was a good one," Mac said with a big smile. Boze and Jack shared a worried look, "but you should save that humor for your date." Jack froze and dropped his donut on the tray half eaten. He looked at Boze who shrugged.

"What date might that be, Angus?" Mac grinned.

"Well, we did need that frying pan-"

"No, no, no...you didn't. Tell me you didn't."

"Oh yes, I did." Jack sank into the chair beside the bed. He ducked his head and groaned.

"Ok, that's ok. Those ladies are cool. I can handle one little date, right? Which one?" Mac didn't say anything but his grin grew.

"You didn't." Jack managed.

"Yes I did, all three." Jack took a deep breath.

"Ok, three little dates. I can wine and dine them-"

"Nope."  
"Nope? What nope?"

"All of them. All at once." There was a sploosh and Jack's coffee when everywhere. Jack jumped up, grabbed a towel and frantically dried the coffee off his lap.

"Maybe you should have kept the sippy cup." Mac said as he sucked the rest of his coffee down. Bozer laughed. Mac held his side as he joined in. Jack broke off into an incomprehensible string of swears and insults all aimed at Mac, his parents, his dog, his teachers...and it went downhill from there.

"What the hell am I going to do with all three of them?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something...Sexy."

"Oh hell."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finally! The end. This one took FOREVER! I would have killed this story back around chapter 3, but you all did say you wanted it finished. I hope it came out better than I feel like it did. Thank you all for reading, following and commenting. I appreciate knowing you guys are out there. With the drop of fans due to Jack leaving, it's an adjustment for all of us. For me, Jack will always be a part of the Mac +Jack team! Anyway thanks for hanging in there with me and with the show-Pox


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